Post by Hansen Young on Jul 5, 2015 21:23:07 GMT
#1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
As defined by the Oxford dictionary1, philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. Fortunately this definition is not controversial as the Merriam-Webster dictionary's definition is worded roughly the same. As such, physics and other scientific endeavors that further the attainment of knowledge can be considered the foundations of philosophy itself.
Physics in particular is a very important area of study in regards to the rules of the universe. The most recent forefronts in the pursuit of understanding lie with string theory and quantum mechanics. String theory is seeks the most basic of the fundamental building blocks of matter, smaller than many of us can even theoretically imagine. Various hypotheses have been posited and testing is on-going, but sadly limited by the bounds of human perception. Quantum mechanics deal with the more indeterminate aspects of our perceived existences, described by such things as Schrodinger's cat, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, particle properties placing them at two different places and times, and other seemingly irrational cases.
Philosophy is contemplation of everything around us, and one can not contemplate without at least having a bit of understanding of what they're contemplating.
#2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
Eliminative materialism is a process that seeks to more accurately explain whatever phenomena is being considered. A list of all possible scientific disciplines that might possibly explain the phenomena is drawn up, and subsequently each discipline tries to explain the phenomena and is discarded upon failure. Part 1 of the video series jokes that if no academic discipline can explain a phenomena, then the old fallback of “God did it!” is allowed to apply. Truthfully though that just means humans probably need to start a new academic discipline.
Eliminative materialism can also describe older understandings of how things work as new knowledge and understanding takes its place. For example, as new scientific disciplines came into being, mankind was able to explain the workings of thunder and lightning as a result of electromagnetism instead of the workings of sky gods. Diseases weren't the result of malign spirits and but instead the fault of bacteria and viruses. The workings of our bodies themselves weren't the results of body ghosts and whatnot but instead the profound workings of combined systems explored in the subjects of anatomy and physiology.
Basically eliminative materialism is the quest of the best explanation. As better, more accurate explanations of why things work the way they do appear, older, less accurate explanations are discareded.
1. www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/philosophy
As defined by the Oxford dictionary1, philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. Fortunately this definition is not controversial as the Merriam-Webster dictionary's definition is worded roughly the same. As such, physics and other scientific endeavors that further the attainment of knowledge can be considered the foundations of philosophy itself.
Physics in particular is a very important area of study in regards to the rules of the universe. The most recent forefronts in the pursuit of understanding lie with string theory and quantum mechanics. String theory is seeks the most basic of the fundamental building blocks of matter, smaller than many of us can even theoretically imagine. Various hypotheses have been posited and testing is on-going, but sadly limited by the bounds of human perception. Quantum mechanics deal with the more indeterminate aspects of our perceived existences, described by such things as Schrodinger's cat, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, particle properties placing them at two different places and times, and other seemingly irrational cases.
Philosophy is contemplation of everything around us, and one can not contemplate without at least having a bit of understanding of what they're contemplating.
#2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
Eliminative materialism is a process that seeks to more accurately explain whatever phenomena is being considered. A list of all possible scientific disciplines that might possibly explain the phenomena is drawn up, and subsequently each discipline tries to explain the phenomena and is discarded upon failure. Part 1 of the video series jokes that if no academic discipline can explain a phenomena, then the old fallback of “God did it!” is allowed to apply. Truthfully though that just means humans probably need to start a new academic discipline.
Eliminative materialism can also describe older understandings of how things work as new knowledge and understanding takes its place. For example, as new scientific disciplines came into being, mankind was able to explain the workings of thunder and lightning as a result of electromagnetism instead of the workings of sky gods. Diseases weren't the result of malign spirits and but instead the fault of bacteria and viruses. The workings of our bodies themselves weren't the results of body ghosts and whatnot but instead the profound workings of combined systems explored in the subjects of anatomy and physiology.
Basically eliminative materialism is the quest of the best explanation. As better, more accurate explanations of why things work the way they do appear, older, less accurate explanations are discareded.
1. www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/philosophy
