Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!venera.isi.edu!cew From: cew@venera.isi.edu (Craig E. Ward) Newsgroups: news.groups Subject: Re: SCI.PHILOSOPHY.OBJECTIVISM Summary: Difference between art and science Keywords: philosophy, science, art Message-ID: <11729@venera.isi.edu> Date: 3 Feb 90 01:56:18 GMT References: <7363@tank.uchicago.edu> Reply-To: cew@venera.isi.edu.UUCP (Craig E. Ward) Organization: Information Sciences Institute, Univ. of So. California Lines: 44 In article <7363@tank.uchicago.edu> rwt1@tank.uchicago.edu (Robert Tracinski) writes: >It is time to bring the discussion (if I may dignify it with that word) over >sci vs. talk for *.philosophy.objectivism to a close. Nice rhetorical device. >Those of us who have been arguing for sci.philosophy.objectivism have given a >lengthy, detailed and cogent defense of our position. We have demonstrated >that: > 1) Philosophy is a science. > 2) This accords with the intention and current usage of the sci.* > hierarchy. > 3) Thus, the newsgroup should be sci.philosophy.objectivism. Premise 1 is false. Philosophy is not a science. Philosophy is an art. Philosophy lacks some of the characteristics of the sciences. One of the most glaring is the inability to perform experiments of the same mode as in the sciences. In a scientific experiment, all but a small number, ideally one, of the variables involved with the experiment are controlled. After the experiment is performed, it can be repeated letting another variable "vary." These kinds of experiments are difficult, perhaps beyond human ability, in the realm of philosophy. How are all the variables to be isolated, or even known ahead of time? The number of possible variables is great, leaving the philosopher to navigate by dead reckoning and rules of thumb, just as his artist colleagues. Lacking the capability to perform experiments takes the scientific method out of philosophy, therefore philosophy is not science. Do not make the mistake of thinking that because something is not scientific, that it lacks critical thinking and discipline. Although, that the objectivists on the net wish to dress themselves as scientists does say something of the quality of their thinking. Another approach to this argument would be to state that philosophy is not a science; science is a philosophy. Taking that argument forward I'll leave as an exercise for the reader. -- Craig E. Ward Slogan: "nemo me impune lacessit" USPS: USC Information Sciences Institute 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 1100 Marina del Rey, CA 90292