Ex Theists

[Edwardo Piet]

I think 99% of philosophy is crap, but science has come from it...it's pretty much speculation, but I see no harm in it and....I personally: Think it's awesome in the sense I find it highly enjoyable.

You see I don't see that ... I think science is a rigorous version of trial & error and doesn't need philosophy because it already is one i.e. IMO the only true philosophy is science itself [...etc]

I personally also think science is certaintly superior. I think it's lightyears ahead - but I don't cut-off philosophy because I think its speculation can have some uses, possibly - as you said yourself, when you mentioned how some ideas from philosophy can 'feed into science'.

And however small the use of philosophy is. It's not a practical thing for me anyway. I just enjoy it, I enjoy the speculating. I like thinking about stuff with or without empiricism. Empiricism and science is 'just' superior by far overall, IMO. I still personally like philosophy, but that's just me. It can never replace science. Science is unbeatable.

I see that science is it's own philosophy, but I enjoy doing all sorts of speculating, regardless of the practicality (or lack thereof) of it. I like thinking about stuff, I think it helps generate ideas - however impractical - or even silly - the thinking is. As Aristotle said - you don't need to accept an idea in order to entertain it (to paraphrase).

Dan Dennett is a good example of a modern philosopher who demands empirical basis. And how he seems to never leave evolution out of any of his books! His book on free will that I am reading, rather than the usual philosophical speculation over indeterminism and determinism, and inevitability, etc - he talks about the evolution of free will! How if we have any freedom, it comes from evolution (I accept his definition but don't personally call it "free will" (I mean, it's compatible with determinism), at least yet, I'm only half way through reading it though)).

EvF