| Topic: |
Science > Philosophy |
| User: |
"Sir Frederick" |
| Date: |
22 May 2005 12:31:42 PM |
| Object: |
An Interesting Conflict |
There is an interesting conflict, ongoing, concerning our
model of what it is to be a primate folk (PF) in the universe.
On one side is Occam's Razor that says the PF is unique and alone
because that is the simplest situation.
The other is the Copernican Principle that says PF are not unique
and are with company because they are not special.
I vote for the Copernican, what say you?
--
Best,
Frederick Martin McNeill
Poway, California, United States of America
mmcneill@fuzzysys.com
http://www.fuzzysys.com
http://members.cox.net/fmmcneill/
*************************
Phrase of the week :
It is impossible to dissociate language from science or science
from language, because every natural science always involves
three things: the sequence of phenomena on which the science is
based; the abstract concepts which call these phenomena to mind;
and the words in which the concepts are expressed. To call forth
a concept, a word is needed; to portray a phenomenon, a concept
is needed. All three mirror one and same reality. Words are thus
required to preserve and transmit ideas, so that it is clear that
the advancement of a science and the improvement of its technical
vocabulary go hand in hand. No matter how certain we are of the
phenomena, no matter how adequately our concepts reflect them, we
cannot help perpetuating wrong ideas unless we have a precise
terminology in which to express ourselves.
-- Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794)
:-))))Snort!)
*************************
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| User: "Dare" |
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| Title: Re: An Interesting Conflict |
23 May 2005 10:23:17 AM |
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"Sir Frederick" <mmcneill@fuzzysys.com> wrote in message
news:lsf19195d1ph59r138761300nk8l1skfj9@4ax.com...
There is an interesting conflict, ongoing, concerning our
model of what it is to be a primate folk (PF) in the universe.
On one side is Occam's Razor that says the PF is unique and alone
because that is the simplest situation.
The other is the Copernican Principle that says PF are not unique
and are with company because they are not special.
I vote for the Copernican, what say you?
Copernican.....realizing that my view is not unique or special. :-)
(and could be incorrect)
Thanks,
Dare
quote-Luke to Joan (Joan of Arcadia):
"Hey, guess what? Copernicus called,
said the world doesn't revolve around you."
.
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| User: "Wordsmith" |
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| Title: Re: An Interesting Conflict |
23 May 2005 11:13:31 AM |
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Funny line. Hits home.
W : )
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| User: "Edgar Svendsen" |
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| Title: Re: An Interesting Conflict |
22 May 2005 10:08:07 PM |
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"Sir Frederick" <mmcneill@fuzzysys.com> wrote in message
news:lsf19195d1ph59r138761300nk8l1skfj9@4ax.com...
There is an interesting conflict, ongoing, concerning our
model of what it is to be a primate folk (PF) in the universe.
On one side is Occam's Razor that says the PF is unique and alone
because that is the simplest situation.
The other is the Copernican Principle that says PF are not unique
and are with company because they are not special.
I vote for the Copernican, what say you?
My heart votes Copernican. My head echoes Fermi (I think it was Fermi),
"where is everybody?"
Ed
--
Best,
Frederick Martin McNeill
Poway, California, United States of America
mmcneill@fuzzysys.com
http://www.fuzzysys.com
http://members.cox.net/fmmcneill/
*************************
Phrase of the week :
It is impossible to dissociate language from science or science
from language, because every natural science always involves
three things: the sequence of phenomena on which the science is
based; the abstract concepts which call these phenomena to mind;
and the words in which the concepts are expressed. To call forth
a concept, a word is needed; to portray a phenomenon, a concept
is needed. All three mirror one and same reality. Words are thus
required to preserve and transmit ideas, so that it is clear that
the advancement of a science and the improvement of its technical
vocabulary go hand in hand. No matter how certain we are of the
phenomena, no matter how adequately our concepts reflect them, we
cannot help perpetuating wrong ideas unless we have a precise
terminology in which to express ourselves.
-- Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794)
:-))))Snort!)
*************************
.
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| User: "AE" |
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| Title: Re: An Interesting Conflict |
22 May 2005 12:54:59 PM |
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Sir Frederick wrote:
There is an interesting conflict, ongoing, concerning our
model of what it is to be a primate folk (PF) in the universe.
On one side is Occam's Razor that says the PF is unique and alone
because that is the simplest situation.
The other is the Copernican Principle that says PF are not unique
and are with company because they are not special.
I vote for the Copernican, what say you?
I vote as well for the Copernican, and I don't think Occam's Razor
requires us to believe we would be unique: It requires additional
complexity to argue for this uniqueness.
...
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| User: "In my evolving opinion" |
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| Title: Re: An Interesting Conflict |
24 May 2005 02:01:50 AM |
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What the f is primate folk?
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