Post by Crystal Pepito on Jan 18, 2015 22:15:00 GMT
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
Philosophy is defined as the study of fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. In understanding this we must learn how knowledge, reality, and existence have come into play within this world. This is where physics and the general rules of the universe come in to explain the tactics of what is. In physics, we learn about how very small things behave (Is the universe really made of rubber bands).
As stated by Russell in the book Quantum Weirdness, “We all start from a naïve realism, i.e., the doctrine that things are what they seem. We think that grass is green, that stones are hard, and that snow is cold. But physics assures us that the greenness of the grass, the hardness of stones, and the coldness of snow are not the greenness, hardness, and coldness that we know in our own experience, but something very different. The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of the stone upon himself” (pg. 15).
The general rules of the universe can include the Grand Unified Theory (G.U.T.) or the Theory of Everything (T.0.E). The Grand Unified Theory refers to a model in particle physics in which at high energy, the three gauge interactions of the standard model, which define electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions/forces, are merged into one single force. The Theory of Everything refers to the ultimate theory/master theory, which is a hypothetical single, all-encompassing, theoretical framework of physics that fully explains and links together all physical aspects of the universe. This according to Einstein is possible since Newton was able to unify heavens and earth through gravity and Maxwell was able to find a link between electricity and magnetism; however, this grand link is still being studied today (“The Elegant Universe”, Bryan Greene).
Basically, we need to understand the fundamental basis of everything (knowledge, reality, and existence) from a physical and universal level in order to gain perspective in a philosophical matter.
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
It is the replacing of old outdated mythical past concepts with new scientific logical accurate terminology of explanations. Therefore, we eliminate or reduce inexplicable phenomena down from a celestial to empirical area in order to help us understand why certain events happen in our body, mind, society, and world. One example is replacing the belief of Thor the Thunder God with electrical magnetic currents. A second example would be replacing the explanation that spirits cause diseases with the biological explanation of the causes of bacteria and viruses on the human body. A third example would be replacing the explanation that ghosts circulate throughout the human body anatomy pulling muscles with the explanation of the functions of the nervous and musculoskeletal system of the human body. However, there is a slight glitch within this way of thinking because society has allowed eliminative materialism to change all ways of thinking except when it comes to ourselves and our understanding of motives because we end up using terms such as “desire”, “motivation”, “love”, “anger”, and “free will” which has been used from a centuries old mythic religious comprehension rather than scientific knowledge.
Philosophy is defined as the study of fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. In understanding this we must learn how knowledge, reality, and existence have come into play within this world. This is where physics and the general rules of the universe come in to explain the tactics of what is. In physics, we learn about how very small things behave (Is the universe really made of rubber bands).
As stated by Russell in the book Quantum Weirdness, “We all start from a naïve realism, i.e., the doctrine that things are what they seem. We think that grass is green, that stones are hard, and that snow is cold. But physics assures us that the greenness of the grass, the hardness of stones, and the coldness of snow are not the greenness, hardness, and coldness that we know in our own experience, but something very different. The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of the stone upon himself” (pg. 15).
The general rules of the universe can include the Grand Unified Theory (G.U.T.) or the Theory of Everything (T.0.E). The Grand Unified Theory refers to a model in particle physics in which at high energy, the three gauge interactions of the standard model, which define electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions/forces, are merged into one single force. The Theory of Everything refers to the ultimate theory/master theory, which is a hypothetical single, all-encompassing, theoretical framework of physics that fully explains and links together all physical aspects of the universe. This according to Einstein is possible since Newton was able to unify heavens and earth through gravity and Maxwell was able to find a link between electricity and magnetism; however, this grand link is still being studied today (“The Elegant Universe”, Bryan Greene).
Basically, we need to understand the fundamental basis of everything (knowledge, reality, and existence) from a physical and universal level in order to gain perspective in a philosophical matter.
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
It is the replacing of old outdated mythical past concepts with new scientific logical accurate terminology of explanations. Therefore, we eliminate or reduce inexplicable phenomena down from a celestial to empirical area in order to help us understand why certain events happen in our body, mind, society, and world. One example is replacing the belief of Thor the Thunder God with electrical magnetic currents. A second example would be replacing the explanation that spirits cause diseases with the biological explanation of the causes of bacteria and viruses on the human body. A third example would be replacing the explanation that ghosts circulate throughout the human body anatomy pulling muscles with the explanation of the functions of the nervous and musculoskeletal system of the human body. However, there is a slight glitch within this way of thinking because society has allowed eliminative materialism to change all ways of thinking except when it comes to ourselves and our understanding of motives because we end up using terms such as “desire”, “motivation”, “love”, “anger”, and “free will” which has been used from a centuries old mythic religious comprehension rather than scientific knowledge.