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From: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy,net.sci
Subject: Re: Contempt prior to Investigation
Message-ID: <1069@psivax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Mar-86 15:57:48 EST
Article-I.D.: psivax.1069
Posted: Tue Mar 18 15:57:48 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Mar-86 05:55:56 EST
References: <435@ccivax.UUCP> <13400007@uiucdcsp> <12239@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <284@ll-xn.ARPA> <369@unirot.UUCP>
Reply-To: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen)
Organization: Pacesetter Systems Inc., Sylmar, CA
Lines: 49
Xref: watmath net.philosophy:4543 net.sci:620

In article <369@unirot.UUCP> cjr@unirot.UUCP (Charles Riordan) writes:
>
>It doesn't serve knowledge and truth. Just because we can't produce
>"independently verifable" results based on our cosmic experiences, just
>because there's no "proof" that would satisfy a Western dogmatic scientist,
>you just discount what we say without acknowledgeing it at all. Is that a
>reasonable thing to do? I mean, the evidence is all around you. I'll bet
>you don't believe in God either. Like it says in the Bible, "Thou fool!!!"

	Or, the more correct *scientific* response is to remain
skeptical rather than to discount it totally. In particular, scientists
try to seperate appearences from reality and explanations from data.
Just because you experienced something unusual does not make your
*explanation* of that event congruent with reality.
>
>What is it that you scientists want? Objectivity?

	No, we want to understand how the Universe operates and
experience has shown us that subjective experience can be *very*
misleading in that area. The ideal of objectivety is just a means to
avoid certain common types of mistakes.

>What's wrong with
>subjectivity? Can't you just accept what I say as true? Don't you want me
>to accept what you say as true? Do you believe anybody when they say things
>to you?

	That depends on what you want. If you want to understand
reality then subjectivity simply doesn't work. If you want to relate
to people and enjoy life then subjectivity is fine and good.

>Or do you treat everything anyone says to you like those very very
>rare exceptions who do lie? 
> You've got to learn to have faith in the truth of
>what people are saying.

	You seem to be using "truth" in two different meanings here. I
usually accept what people say as true, *as far as their experience goes*,
but just because you *believe* something to be factual does not make
it really so. A person may be "telling the truth" and still be
mistaken. So, yes I do have faith in what people say, I just don't
necessarily agree with them as to the *significance* of what they are
saying.
-- 

				Sarima (Stanley Friesen)

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