S&S vs. SF in BotNS

Jeff Wilson · 23 Dec 2011, 21:13 · from 2011-December.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at clueland.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:13:16 -0600
Subject: (urth) S&S vs. SF in BotNS
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W98B0702D909373A9BF56ACFAB0 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W98B0702D909373A9BF56ACFAB0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <4EF4EEEC.8070706 at clueland.com>

On 12/23/2011 8:10 AM, Lee Berman wrote:

> In my (and perhaps Antonio's) view, math and science are human tools created by humans and subject to
> all the error and fallibility of the human brain.

The scientific method and mathematical rigor are human behaviors that 
are used to discover and refine knowledge of abstract and objective 
concepts, many of which are found in analagous physical processes that 
evidently continue independently of human agency. For example, circular 
craters are observed on the surfaces of planets and satellites where 
humans are simply not equipped to go, establishing the independence of 
circular geometry from imperfect humanity.

 > I don't overlook or discount reproducible results. They are a human 
thing to want. But ancient
 > religions were based on it also. Do something to anger Zeus and 
within a few months you'll get
 > a thunderstorm. You might have to wait a few years after angering a 
witch but you'll eventually
 > get your crop failure also.
 >
 > Science currently rules much of the faith and beliefs of humanity 
because the reproducible results
 > are faster and more accurate than superstition. But they are not 
perfect. Lightning still strikes
 > unpredictably. Disease and earthquakes and famine also. When a more 
perfect system of predicting and
 > controlling these events is invented, science will be dropped like 
Zeus worship was.

You have departed the land of rational thought freely and of your own 
will. Good luck on your journey into magical thinking, and I look 
forward to your speedy return.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at clueland.com
Computational Intelligence Laboratory - Texas A&M Texarkana
< http://www.tamut.edu/CIL >

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