[MD] Science and Pragmatism

Ron Kulp xacto at rocketmail.com
Sat Jan 4 19:21:23 PST 2014


Thinking of writing a blog post about scientific revolutions (Kuhn) and how that relates to Pirsig's view of science.

Ron:
When Copernicus first asserted
That the earth rotates Round the
Sun in De Revolutionibus, the
Theologian Osiander prefaced
The work remarking:
"There is no need for these hypotheses to be true or even be
At all like the truth; rather, one thing
Is sufficient  for them-that they should
Yield calculations which agree with the observations." 
It is interesting to note that Pierce
Thought this loose fit would be temporary... Sufficient investigation 
Would cause one opinion to be universally received which calls on
The notion of what Pirsig and James
Mean by Pragmatic truth the human
Activity of verification and the need
To understand , predict and control
Phenomena. I wish I could share in
Pierces optimism but I think the conversation is most interesting In regard to how we select theories
Through leaps of imagination to a
New unifying idea more so than
How we may settle on a general
Consensus but that's just my own
Preference.
Great to have you back Dave.


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