Quote:
Originally Posted by Miranda
Why are we trying to separate philosophy and science here?
The sciences began with philosophical inquiry. Scientific findings would be essentially useless if separated from philosophical or theoretical interpretation.
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You think so?
Could you give an example?
Quote:
Originally Posted by charles brough View Post
It seems to me that all science is atheistic except the way social sciences are interpreted. In other words, social theory is, I claim to show, unscientific.
But just what is social theory and is it important? I say it is at least as important as all the other sciences because it encompasses all our secular beliefs. It interprets what our history says, deals with our evolution, and interprets what religion is. It is what is taught in school and shapes our whole world-view and way-of-thinking, “Secular Humanism,” which our parents teach their children and what shapes public opinion, shapes the media, and drives world affairs.
I say it is not scientific because subliminal public pressure causes social theorists to interpret social science data in ways that are the least offensive to the faithful.
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Charles perhaps this is aUSA centric view? Would you say the same if you were Russian?
I don't see too many scientists trying to pander to the Catholic Church's genocidal attitude to condoms and AIDS transmission.
(Nor do I see the Pope being taken to the world court for crimes against humanity -which is what should be happening!)
Darwin was concerned that he would upset the Church Establishment but i doubt that that motivates many scientists today. In his day the CofE church still decided who could go to university.
It was the breaking of the Church shackles on scientific inquiry into anatomy, money lending, astronomy, biblical scholarship (Protestantism?) in the 14th century that ushered in the age of scientific inquiry and exploration.
There does however seem to be a reluctance to accept new or iconoclastic research in many disciplines.
(eg the heart has memories and a "brain").
Was it the 1960's or 70s when Psychiatrists cured a disease with the stoke of a pen by
deciding homosexuality was not a disease (to the relief of many Gay psychiatrists)
There is very little science based evidence for a lot of surgery for example.
Dangerous drugs, chemicals medical practices, often take decades to change.
Nowadays with the pace of change (GWaming, environmental degradation, poverty, political unrest etc) we don't have the luxury of time any more.
Scientists say they believe scientific studies; but when it threatens their would view, salary, profession or status, they can be amazingly intransigent and closed minded.
