[MD] Are There Bad Questions?: Rorty

[Steven Peterson]

Hi Ham,

Ham:
> There is no such thing as a "bad question", especially in metaphysics.

Steve:
Where is the essence of Being? Who is the meaning of life? When do our
souls go after we die?

Ham:
But there are bad answers, and I think you gave your friend's question short
> shrift.  Your answer that the universe is necessary "because we need to be
> able to do what we want" is not only egocentric, it's untrue.  It is
> satisfying but hardly "necessary" to do what we want.

Steve:
Necessary to whom? I certainly couldn't do any of the things I want to
do without a universe.

Ham:
> In fact, no less a philosopher than the Father of German Existentialism
> argued that the question "Why is there anything at all?" is the "fundamental question of metaphysics."

Steve:
That makes sense to me since I think metaphysics is answers to bad
questions or Platypus taxonomy as Pirsig put it.

Ham:
> Your friend is right that an "uncaused source" is necessary for the universe to be.

Steve:
Is it? Necessary for who or for what? If the universe is everything,
how could the universe need something? What does it need it for? Does
the "uncaused source" need anything?

Best,
Steve