[MD] Probability

[Gene M]

The fact that a quantum physicist cannot measure or locate a
> quark's position at the precise instant he is observing it only
> demonstrates
> that man cannot push the frontiers of knowledge beyond his finite
> sensibility.  I see no other relevance of these statistical theories to
> one's ordinary experience of reality (present and past), Pirsig's Quality
> thesis, or my philosophy of Essence.


 Not just quark's but photons and electrons as well! Probably more
importantly, photons and electrons. This isn't about human's finite senses.
None of this could ever evenr emotely be observed by our finite senses. We
had to invent new senses, outside ourselves to observe these things. And
these new senses are being constantly refined. The uncertainty principle is
not based on the limit of our senses, but the limit placed by Reality
itself. The reason you cannot know both the position and velocity of a given
particle is because to "look" at it, you need to bounce another particle off
it, and catch that one, to find out where the first one was. Since to check
where it is, you smash another particle into it, once you know where it was
at that Event, you have no idea where you sent it or how fast with the
particle you just used to look at it!!

The act of observation, which can be accomplished only by observing
particles, fundamentally alters the particles being observed. I believe this
to be of great importance! Absolute knowledge is Impossible. Can never
exist. To know the exact position of every particle in the universe, we
would need a number of particles equal to those in the universe to hurl at
them, and even then we'd have no idea of their velocity or heading.
Certainty simply cannot exist in Reality as we know it.

As an aside, just because you don't see the relevance does not mean it's not
there. Just because I don't see the relevance, doesn't mean it isn't there.
Everything is relevant to somebody it seems. In the right circumstances.

The quality we recognize or value in existence is the essence of our
> experience.  It has nothing to do with the sub-micro structure of the
> universe which is Science's attempt to theorize objectively about what we
> can't experience or observe subjectively.  Whether you equate the premise
> "The sun will rise tomorrow" as a probability factor or a matter of
> "faith"
> or "trust", the fact is that the mode of human experience is sequential in
> time, and we are denied knowledge of the future.  The philosophical
> significance of this fact is that we can make free choices based on
> relative
> values in a relational universe.  If man had access to absolute knowledge,
> there would be no uncertainy.  But neither would there be any value for
> him
> in the life-experience.


Actually, everything we experience is completely and in all ways tied to the
subatomic world. Not only is Reality created entirely By these sub-atomic
particles and forces, but they are the only means we have of observing this
Reality. Without photons, how would we see? Without particle vibration how
would we hear, or feel, or smell? Particles are how information is received
by our senses. How they work, and why they work that way can tell us Vast
amounts of information about the Reality we inhabit. We are indeed denied
knowledge of the future, but we can make good guesses, and the better the
guesses, the better the future I think. Absolute knowledge is as close to
impossible as anything can come, but I prefer to have a framework for
judging good and bad courses of action accordingly.

It is one thing for a philosopher to hypothesize a greater reality beyond
> experience as the source of all finitude.  It is quite another for a
> nihilist to deny the essence of our finite experience on the grounds of a
> technicality resulting from the limitation of man's intellect.


So it's one thing for someone to just come up with ideas, from the mythos,
and call them the Truth, than to have someone come up with ideas based on
constant observations and falsifiable predictions? indeed it is! It's just a
question of which you prefer I suppose.

Let's face it, folks -- a relational world has its limitations.  We can live
> life fully and enjoy its values.  Or we can spend our time despairingly
> because we'll never have all the answers.  As free individuals, the choice
> is ours.


Exactly! Irregardless of our beliefs, the choice is ours! What you believe
makes absolutely no difference to whether you despair or hope, it's an
individual choice! It doesn't matter if you believe in science,
essentialism, existensialism, nihilism, it doesn't matter. Because any
single one of them is Capable of bringing you hope, depending on who you
are.

-Gene