Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cbscc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!mcnc!decvax!harpo!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbscc!pmd From: pmd@cbscc.UUCP (Paul Dubuc) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Science as a limited tool Message-ID: <2615@cbscc.UUCP> Date: Fri, 11-May-84 13:32:10 EDT Article-I.D.: cbscc.2615 Posted: Fri May 11 13:32:10 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 13-May-84 08:54:14 EDT References: <133@ssc-vax.UUCP>, <4324@duke.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories , Columbus Lines: 32 > >In fact, philosophy has often -- perhaps usually! -- been in conflict >with theology. (Consider that Plato and Socrates were both strongly >opposed to the then-current religion; or consider that Spinoza was >"excommunicated" from the Jewish community for his views.) Philo- >sophy has been the only branch of knowledge which has *defended* us >from theology. But Plato and Socrates were not atheists were they? Were these really against theology, or religion, in general, or just opposed to a specific theology. It is eaiser to lump theology and philosophy together than to try to separate them. In practice they have been greatly intermingled. They address similar types of questions. > >As to references in the philosophy of science, perhaps the best >is Popper's *Logik der Forschuung*, translated as "the Logic >of Scientific Discovery" or some such (the book isn't right at hand). >A better simple exposition is in Popper's autobiography, "Unended >Quest", which is also a really fascinating book! > I think philosopher's like Popper and the Logical Empiricists (aka the Vienna Circle) have given a very idealistic view of science. It may be fascinating, but not an accurate or realistic view. For a contrast to that stuff, I would strongly suggest reading "Betrayer's of the Truth" by William Broad and Nicholas Wade [1982 Simon & Schuster. See especially chapters 7 and 11, "The Myth of Logic" and "The Failure of Objectivity"] and Thomas Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" [1970 U. of Chicago Press]. Paul Dubuc