[MD] Forget about Empiricism, no thanks.

[skutvik at online.no]

On 28 Oct. David M wrote:

> Bo:
> > Yes, things are complicated but history has told us that 
> > complexity is the lack of the right explanation. 

> DM: For me the complexity and plurality does not goaway,
> we can find useful explanations that enable us to make
> sense of things, but they are always just one way of looking
> at things and a rounded view requires many perspectives
> and descriptions.

You are a devout debater dear David and agreement would end 
the discussion, but if you deny that complicated explanations are 
results of wrong premises you are just silly. The famous 
paradoxes of Greek physics dissolved in the light of the 
Newtonian premises*, but if physics should have kept the former 
for the sake of a "rounded view" - whatever that is - phew!  

*) Newtonian Physics proved to have its own paradoxes (first) 
revealed by the Michelson-Morley experiment (that showed that 
light propagates with its known speed regardless of the observer's 
own speed relative to it) This lead to Relativity, then later the 
Quantum paradoxes and experiments that proved its validity. 
However, here one may speak about keeping them all for utility's 
sake.              

> DM: I think attempts to homogenise a modern society are unlikely
> to last and the legitimising role of democracy is difficult to keep at
> bay in modern conditions.

Total agreement, 
 
> > Another watershed is Jesus' words about "giving unto Cesar ..etc"
> > this allowed the secular/religion split, a Christian could be a good
> > civil citizen while keeping his faith. The lack of this split is the
> > very thing that haunts the Muslim world...
 
> DM: There is some truth in this, from what I have read. But there is
> also a private, quietist and mystical strain of Islam that probably
> defines the religious life of the many who prefer not to mix politics
> and religion.

Well, yours is a most level-headed view, but all intellect. Judaism 
and Islam do not mix politics and religion because the social level 
doesn't recognize them, the Tora and Koran only speak about the 
righteous and the infidels. Regarding the mystic (Sufi) strain it's 
not recognized but regarded as heresy much like the Amadihyya 
sect which is a promising development, but hated by both Shia 
and the Sunni muslims.       

Bo