The real discussion: Values (Humans)

by romansh , Monday, December 28, 2015, 21:33 (3251 days ago) @ dhw
edited by romansh, Monday, December 28, 2015, 21:39

dhw: I sometimes get the feeling that by reductionism you actually mean materialism, 
If you mean can we apply reductionist methods to things that are immaterial and I suspect don't exist, I think you are right.-> dhw: and what you mean by insights is the belief that all things can be traced back to material causes and effects. 
With the possible exception of quantum phenomena, yes.-> dhw: If this were so, there would be very little to discuss. 
Oh I think Matt and I can have a good discussion on how the universe ticks and where we are at the boundaries knowledge.-> dhw: We would simply conclude that science will eventually prove that life, consciousness, psychic phenomena, emotional, aesthetic and mystic experiences will one day all be traced back to material causes. 
This of course is an assumption, but I would argue a very useful and I suspect accurate one. While the form of solipsism you are (seem to be) advocating is useful only in the sense that we should not be overly certain. -Having said that I don't have assume that pandimensional white mice are directing our evolution.-And one more time ... science does not prove things. You should know better!-> dhw: That in itself is a matter of faith, and so has no more current validity than the belief that there are a dozen or so dimensions, other universes, and/or other forms of being beyond those that we know (or think we know).-Philosophers have questioned the validity of assuming that cause and effect are true and quite accurately point out there is no deductive method validating cause and effect. Having said that the inductive method (reductionism) has been really useful in moving what passes for knowledge forward.-What advances has assuming the reality of the immaterial brought forward dhw?