[MD] Dawkins a Materialist

[Platt Holden]

> Heather Perella asked dmb:
> ...wouldn't you agree science involves assumptions? What difference is
> there between assumptions and belief?  Sure, assumptions are nouns and
> belief is a verb, but in a sentence wouldn't they both be used together?
> 
> dmb says:
> Assumptions are not the same thing as faith. Assumptions will change
> according to experience. I mean, if an assumption isn't working we can
> ditch it. Faith ignores or resists the force of evidence.

I wonder which if any of the following assumptions of science DMB 
thinks "will change according to experience."  

Determinism - all effects emerge from prior natural causes

Rationalism - the intellectual engine that drives scientific inquiry

Reductionism - complex phenomena can be explained by isolating simple 
elements and processes

Materialism - matter/energy is the source of all phenomena including 
human intelligence

Externalism - nature and its laws exist independently of human 
observation

Mechanism - basic processes stem from causes that can often be 
formulated in mathematical terms

Experimentalism - models of cause and effect must be tested by repeated 
measurements

Evolutionism - continuous development is brought about by blind chance 
and natural selection

Emergentism - some phenomena occur as the result of self-organizing 
patterns

Conditionalism - new discoveries may invalidate current theories

Humanism - social change must be intelligently guided 

Fact is if any of these faith-based assumptions do change because of 
experience, science will no longer be science. You can't have your cake 
and eat it, too. :-) 

Platt