[MD] Bo's weak versus strong interpretation of quantum physiks

[Krimel]

[Platt]
So are politicians, journalists, lawyers and purveyors of radical left-wing 
propaganda. We are all human, and there are many methods for doing what we 
think best. God help us if there is only one right way to pursue our goals.
At 
the end of that road lies tyranny.    

[Krimel]
Politicians, lawyer and purveyors of propaganda are sophists. They make no
claim to honest inquiry they are advocates for particular points of view. 

Journalists have their own set of ethical guidelines for determining what is
worth reporting, how to report on differences of opinion and for assessing
standards of truth.

[Krimel said:]
For people committed to honest inquiry funding is a means
to an end and not as you would have the sole reason for being.

[Platt]
Not the sole reason, but an ever present influence.

[Krimel]
If you can't eat, you can't do much else. But oddly academia is an area
where people intentional sacrifice material comforts for the pursuit and
love of wisdom. Ask any graduate student.

[Platt]
Are  you saying science doesn't have basic assumptions like determinism, 
reductionism, materialism and emergentism? 

[Krimel]
Of course science has basic assumptions. In fact it was scientists with
quantum mechanics and mathematicians, Gödel, who proved that uncertainty
with regard to basic assumptions is unavoidable. People in the academy
constantly question their own basic assumption and the fundamental
skepticism of science is built into the process.

[Platt]
Nobody's work is static unless a robot, but many assumptions, like reality
being subjects and objects, are. You couldn't think at all without them.

[Krimel]
It is of course ludicrous to assert that one can't think without subjects
and objects. Systems theory, information theory, ecological models,
theology, literary theory and a host of other disciplines within the academy
work just fine without it. Nor is it true that assumptions are necessarily
static. Many disciplines are wary of their own basic assumptions and healthy
debates about those assumptions are conducted constantly.

[Platt]
As for transformation of society, the academy has played a role, but so have

entrepreneurs, bankers and artists. The question is: has the transformation 
been good? Pirsig sees some problems.    

[Krimel]
Entrepreneurs, banks and artists all effect transformations chiefly by
exploiting the fruits of the academy. Drug companies for example exploit the
basic research conducted within the academy. Artist likewise exploit the
advances from within the academy for their own purposes, Lucas, Cameron,
Ansel Adams, Annie Leibowitz, hell Da Vinci, Dali and a host of others come
to mind.

As to whether these transformations are good ask anyone who has had 10 or 15
years added to their life via bypass surgery or anyone who called AAA from
the side of the road, or anyone who has flown across country to visit
relatives or anyone buying tickets at a movie theater or anyone taking a
crap inside.

Pirsig sees problems? Wow, you mean the world's not perfect? I need to go
outside more but I'll say this; we are currently forced to deal with
problems that are considerably higher on Maslow's hierarchy than people
confronted 100 years ago or even 50 years ago.