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From: sarge@thirdi.UUCP (Sarge Gerbode)
Newsgroups: sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: Re: Logic and Coercion
Message-ID: <72@thirdi.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Jul-87 00:28:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: thirdi.72
Posted: Thu Jul 30 00:28:42 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Aug-87 04:34:28 EDT
References: <68@thirdi.UUCP> <9962@duke.cs.duke.edu> <573@rlgvax.UUCP> <9975@duke.cs.duke.edu>
Reply-To: sarge@thirdi.UUCP (Sarge Gerbode)
Organization: Institute for Research in Metapsychology
Lines: 19
Keywords: explanation, transcendental argument, Kant, Nozick
Summary: Nosicks method is similar to scientific method

In a sense, Nosick's approach is similar to that of a scientist.  The
scientist proposes various hypotheses that would explain present phenomena.
These hypotheses are then compared with existing data and with other existing
phenomena and scientific theories to see if they "fit".  A major difference
(and one that makes science empirical, where Nosick's method is not) is that
in scientific method, new, previously undiscovered phenomena are predicted
that would follow from the hypothesis.  Also, in Nosick's approach, the
conclusions or phenomena to be explained are conceived as derived by some
process of *reasoning* from different possible premisses, while in the
scientific approach, they are thought to follow at least partially through
some *causal* chain, rather than one of reasoning alone.
-- 
"Absolute knowledge means never having to change your mind."

Sarge Gerbode
Institute for Research in Metapsychology
950 Guinda St.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
UUCP:  pyramid!thirdi!sarge