[MD] A fly in the MOQ ointment

[X Acto]

On 25 Feb 2010 at 5:23, X Acto wrote:

> Let me pre-empt Platt, in that science is belief as religion is belief, not so.
> Science has come to be dominated by the belief "that the principles of mathematics 
> are the principles of all things." Scientific method is Pragmatic method.
> Thats what makes it dynamic.

Platt:
Ron, I'm sure you know about Godel's Incompleteness Theorem which 
shows mathematics cannot prove its validity. So if you're right about the 
dominate belief of science being a tight connection between math and 
all things, it appears there's a leap of faith involved similar to that of 
religion. As for usefulness being the standard of truth as pragmatism 
demands, I suggest the usefulness of religion has been demonstrated in 
enhancing survival by cementing group cohesion.

Ron:
W.James makes a similar statement that religion is indeed pragmatically useful
that is why he and Pirsig  agree that religion and science do not conflict, incorporating
both the rationalist and the empiricist.