Do Chairs Exist?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I think criticizing Platonic philosophy on the basis of not having control groups or peer review is misguided. Plato wasn’t an experimentalist, he was a philosopher. 

Boru

Exactly my point. Back then, his mental masturbation was merely that. He got lucky with some of his good ideas and I give him credit for those.

But nobody today can, or should claim he had any modern understanding of science. And that is why I hate when I run into people who argue that philosophy is on par with modern science. 

I agree he was not an "experimentalist". And that is my point. But even today, just like arguing with Star Trek fans, I get blasted for telling people that Gene Roddenberry did not invent the cell phone.

Plato most certainly advanced western civilization. But his idea of "essence" still is causing problems in humanity in chasing the idea of perfection. If you want to call that philosophy, fine, but it was a bad postulation in any case.

No, that wasn’t your point. Since Plato didn’t muck about with science, his lack of things like control groups is immaterial. This is kind of like criticizing a 6th century farmer for not having access to an arc welder.

Boru