Comments on: Science Fiction Authors Say Smart Things: Brust on Thinkin’ http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/ As honest as a gambling man can be Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:23:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mr. McLaren http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41447 Mr. McLaren Thu, 29 Mar 2007 03:13:48 +0000 http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41447 You know, there are certain frameworks in which you could make those conclusive statements. The problem is that working within those frameworks you can't say anything about the relative validity of the frameworks. I'd be happy though if we could just train everyone to understand the axioms and "invisible" premises that underlay their own frameworks. You know, there are certain frameworks in which you could make those conclusive statements.

The problem is that working within those frameworks you can’t say anything about the relative validity of the frameworks.

I’d be happy though if we could just train everyone to understand the axioms and “invisible” premises that underlay their own frameworks.

]]> By: Ted http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41425 Ted Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:01:15 +0000 http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41425 Yes, I would agree with that. Scientific inquiry underwent a philosophical shift that enabled it to subsequently make rapid progress. I think that there have been attempts to do something similar with philosophy itself -- logical positivism, for example -- but they haven't met with much success. It might have be interesting if they had succeeded; I envision philosophers being able to say things like, "The morality of abortion has been conclusively determined," and have everyone actually agree that it had. The fact that philosophy hasn't provided answers like that is, I think, why some people feel that philosophy is just spinning its wheels. Yes, I would agree with that. Scientific inquiry underwent a philosophical shift that enabled it to subsequently make rapid progress. I think that there have been attempts to do something similar with philosophy itself — logical positivism, for example — but they haven’t met with much success.

It might have be interesting if they had succeeded; I envision philosophers being able to say things like, “The morality of abortion has been conclusively determined,” and have everyone actually agree that it had. The fact that philosophy hasn’t provided answers like that is, I think, why some people feel that philosophy is just spinning its wheels.

]]> By: Mr. McLaren http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41418 Mr. McLaren Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:29:57 +0000 http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41418 Hi Ted. Always glad to see a comment from you. Isn't that qualitative difference grounded in the fact that physics (and all the hard sciences) are working within a much more narrowly defined epistemology now than they were back in the day? The way that Artistotle arrived at his conclusions in physics would now not pass the common (at least I hope it's common, although frankly both 'intelligent design' and some of the debate around global warming make me worry) standard for scientific fact. Hi Ted. Always glad to see a comment from you.

Isn’t that qualitative difference grounded in the fact that physics (and all the hard sciences) are working within a much more narrowly defined epistemology now than they were back in the day? The way that Artistotle arrived at his conclusions in physics would now not pass the common (at least I hope it’s common, although frankly both ‘intelligent design’ and some of the debate around global warming make me worry) standard for scientific fact.

]]> By: Ted http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41415 Ted Tue, 27 Mar 2007 05:01:03 +0000 http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2007/03/26/science-fiction-authors-say-smart-things-brust-on-thinkin/#comment-41415 I completely agree that studying philosophy is worthwhile. With regards to the physics analogy, however, I do remember a point we discussed in a philosophy class I took in college. Aristotle's work on philosophy remains instructive to philosophy students today, but his work on physics is of essentially no use to physics students today. Philosophy has made a lot of progress over the millenia, but it's qualitatively different from the progress made in the sciences. I completely agree that studying philosophy is worthwhile. With regards to the physics analogy, however, I do remember a point we discussed in a philosophy class I took in college. Aristotle’s work on philosophy remains instructive to philosophy students today, but his work on physics is of essentially no use to physics students today. Philosophy has made a lot of progress over the millenia, but it’s qualitatively different from the progress made in the sciences.

]]>