Philosophy vs Metaphysics vs Theology vs Science

by Simon 17 Replies latest social humour

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  Oubliette

  Xanthippe: Philosophy deduced the existence of fundamental particles thousands of years ago.

  Actually, it was philosophers that did that. Democritus was the man, building on ideas formulated by his teacher Leucippus!
  

  Cofty: Much of what passes for philosophy is nothing more than mental masturbation

  Can I do it until I need glasses?

  Seriously though, we should not forget that science is ultimately a philosophical approach to trying to understand reality.

  The difference between science and religion is that with science knowledge is discovered and to be freely shared with all whereas with religion knowledge is allegedly "revealed" and held only in the hands of an elite (self-proclaimed) individual or group.

  The former can and should be empowering to all and for everyone, while the latter is a means to hold power exclusively for purposes of control over the masses.
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  Simon

  I didn't think this was funny three years ago

  Does that mean you think you found the cat?
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  Oubliette

  Simon: Does that mean you think you found the cat?

  Yes. And it was both dead AND alive at the same time!
  
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  Xanthippe

  Schrodinger's cat is a thought experiment in Physics, specifically quantum mechanics. Yeah they brought that up last time, they thought they were making fun of philosophy.
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  Oubliette

  Xanthippe: they brought that up last time, they thought they were making fun of philosophy.

  Who "they"?

  What is this "last time" you mention?
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  cofty

  Interesting and balanced article by Lawrence Krauss on the relative value of philosophy ....

  Conclusion...

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  So, to those philosophers I may have unjustly offended by seemingly blanket statements about the field, I apologize. I value your intelligent conversation and the insights of anyone who thinks carefully about our universe and who is willing to guide their thinking based on the evidence of reality. To those who wish to impose their definition of reality abstractly, independent of emerging empirical knowledge and the changing questions that go with it, and call that either philosophy or theology, I would say this: Please go on talking to each other, and let the rest of us get on with the goal of learning more about nature.

  
  
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  stuckinarut2

  Well, I thought is was a very funny and thought provoking picture!

  "The Oatmeal" is hilarious!

  Has anyone seen this one about "why he doesn't agree with Charles Darwin's theory of Evolution??? Worth watching right through!

  http://theoatmeal.com/blog/jibbers_crabst
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  Xanthippe

  In 1992 I was attending a philosophy lecture at my summer school at Reading university when a student asked the professor what he thought was the most worrying problem in the world. He answered that a religion that promised martyrs would be attended by 72 virgins in the afterlife really worried him most of all. Not out of touch with reality at all.