[MD] Alternatives to the scientific method

[ian glendinning]

Platt, Jos, Ham,

I can't say I agree with all of Platt's points or that they form a
logical case, in fact there are a couple I'd take exception to, BUT
where he concludes ...

"To defend their faith, some scientists and many of their acolytes
mock, demonize and marginalize competing views, using highly emotive
language and implying that all "intelligent" people must agree with
them.

He is absolutely spot on.

That is an illustration of why it's a kind of "neurosis" a "denial" of
alternative views, by the vast majority of scientists. This is where
Nick Maxwell is far from being out on a limb. There are many other
wiser, older scientists, who fear that "hyper-skepticism" too ...
Josephson is one of them.

These are not new-age weirdos, these are mainstream Cambridge and
London, highly decorated and respected professors.

As Pirsig says "the level of philosophy in the UK is infinitely better
than in the US" .... only kidding ;-)

Ian


On 7/27/07, pholden at davtv.com <pholden at davtv.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> Lest we forget:
>
> Faith-based metaphysical assumptions of the scientific worldview:
>
> a. Determinism-all effects emerge from prior natural causes
>
> b. Rationalism-the intellectual engine that drives scientific inquiry
>
> c. Reductionism-complex phenomena can be explained by isolating simple elements and
> processes
>
> d. Empiricism-reality grounded in sensory phenomena
>
> e. Materialism-matter/energy is the source of all phenomena including human intelligence.
>
> f. Externalism-nature and its laws exists independent of human observation
>
> g. Mechanism-basic processes stem from causes that can often be formulated in
> mathematical terms
>
> h. Experimentalism-models of cause and effect must be tested by repeated measurements
>
> i. Evolutionism-continuous development is brought about by blind chance and natural
> selection
>
> j. Emergentism-some phenomena occur as the result of self-organizing patterns
>
> k. Conditionalism-new discoveries may invalidate current theories
>
> To defend their faith, some scientists and many of their acolytes mock, demonize and
> marginalize competing views, using highly emotive language and implying that all
> "intelligent" people must agree with them.
>
> Platt
>
>
>
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