Inference and its role in NS (General)

by dhw, Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 12:47 (4867 days ago) @ xeno6696

MATT: Evolution is this case (Dawkins) is inference based on evidence. You tripped into my "inference is not knowledge" dogma once again...(Just trying to point out instances where your thinking parallels my own skepticism...I still don't think we're that different...)-Evolution and NS are not synonymous (see below), and I think you're being kind to Dawkins, who says that NS "explains the whole of life", which to my mind is not even an inference, let alone based on evidence. But I agree that inference is not knowledge, I do share your scepticism (even if I insist on spelling it the English way!), and we're not that different. On the epistemological thread, I'm confident we shall eventually come to an understanding, but the difference between us is that I tend to think more concretely than you do. On this thread, relating to evolution, both of us "accept" the basic theory, but there is one major difference between us, which is your focus on NS at the expense of adaptation and innovation. As far as the consciousness thread is concerned, I'm far more open to speculation than you are, but the reasons for that may perhaps come out later in our epistemological discussion.