(September 4, 2013 at 11:33 pm)Captain Colostomy Wrote: It leads us to naturalistic answers. Metaphysics is a philosophical construct, and therefore, not a scientific concern.
I would suggest you are underestimating philosophy and how much it still influences scientific endeavour and is very much a concern.
The principle of falsifiability which is so central to modern scientific theory is a philosophical concept not a scientific one.
Demarcation, what constitutes science and what does not is a philosophical question.
The analysis of scientific information is informed by philosophy.
The purpose of science is a philosophical question.
These are but a few of the interactions between philosophy and science.
To quote Daniel Dennett;
"There is no such thing as philosophy-free science; there is only science whose philosophical baggage is taken on board without examination."
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
