[MD] Faith/Skepticism

[Platt Holden]

Hey MP,

> However, faith precedes reason. Skepticism IMO is the failure of reason to
> accept that preconditional aspect of faith. 

Excellent point, MP. Separating faith from reason or any other intellectual 
process is just plain dumb. Why? Simply because all intellectual processes 
rest on underlying, faith-based assumptions. Case in the point: the 
underlying assumptions of SOM:

Faith-based metaphysical assumptions of the scientific worldview:

Determinism--all effects emerge from prior natural causes

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

Empiricism--reality grounded in sensory phenomena

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


Externalism--nature and its laws exists independent 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

To defend their faiths, some scientists and their acolytes are prone to 
mock, demonize and marginalize competing views, using highly emotive 
language and implying that all "intelligent" people must agree with them. 
Thankfully there are individuals like yourself who are able to see that the 
SOM emperor has no clothes.

Regards,
Platt