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Theme Changer

 Topic: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz

 (Read 17472 times)
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  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #90 - November 11, 2011, 10:15 PM

    i don't know what my moral framework is, i need to write it down and systematize it.


    I think a healthy amount of ambivalence is actually the best position, as there really are no objective standards. Ethics/morality may best be applied on a case by case basis, even if we hold some level of standards (like, something that causes pain is bad.... not always applicable e.g. if someone consents to being masochistic).

    It would have to come down to mental capacity, which incidentally is why we tend to use similar terms when dealing wit animals. If the animal has the capacity to know that certain behaviour is prohibited, we have no qualms about telling them they are bad.


    Yes! Exactly! And this is why with science, it is inevitable that moral/ethical issues are raised, as it is an exercise in intelligence.

    "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #91 - November 11, 2011, 10:36 PM

    Yes! Exactly! And this is why with science, it is inevitable that moral/ethical issues are raised, as it is an exercise in intelligence.

    Oh eureka, sacre bleu, and awesomesauce. Tongue

    Why I am having a go at you and the others (and in case you haven't realised, that is all I'm doing) is because of the sloppiness of your presentation.

    This all started back in another thread, when certain people were jumping all over some (admittedly fairly broad) statements which had been made to a lay audience in an informal setting. There was great hue and cry about how terrible it was to do such a thing. This was followed by claims that were equally broad, but funnily enough there was no hue and cry raised about that.

    For some reason, it was deemed perfectly ok to make sweeping claims about this thing called Philosophy (big P, ivory tower version) that could save us all from the evil machinations of naughty scientists.

    Now of course, if this wonderful thing is going to save us from the inherent amorality of science, then presumably it would have to be the sort of thing that was not inherently amoral. If it was inherently amoral then it would not be any better a safeguard than science itself is.

    Funnily enough, when we dig into the guts of this wonderful saviour we find that:

    ...they can both be used for good and for bad, and they are both based on unprovable underlying presumptions.

    I knew this already, of course, which I why my opening salvo was:

    So in a nutshell, your claim is that it would be literally impossible to construct a consistent philosophical position that resulted in inhumane outcomes.

    I was taking the piss here, but my point was that if you want to use Big P Awesome Saviour as your real safeguard, then for it to be effective you would have to believe something like this.

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #92 - November 11, 2011, 11:04 PM

    Well then it may be more effective to say all that to those people, not to someone who does not believe in Saviours, whether it be Science or Philosophy, and is calling for MORE debates, not to throw out either or. Wink

    "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #93 - November 11, 2011, 11:11 PM

    Now of course, if this wonderful thing is going to save us from the inherent amorality of science, then presumably it would have to be the sort of thing that was not inherently amoral. If it was inherently amoral then it would not be any better a safeguard than science itself is.


    Okay, how about we first define what we think is "science" and "philosophy". Science is the collection, analysis and application of data, with no inherent concern about "ethics" or "morality". Science asks What and How. Philosophy is the study of meanings, and values, and incorporates the study of "ethics" and "morality", although it (philosophy) is diverse and is not inherently "ethical" or "moral" (or unethical or immoral), due to its diversity. Philosophy asks Why. (Disclaimer: These are my views; doesn't mean I expect everyone to define these as such, which is why I asked for your definition Smiley )

    Both are human constructs. Now of course, there are various types of scientists and philosophers, and, being human, come from diverse ethical and subjective perspectives.

    I don't see how either science or philosophy can be made out to be "the saviour" unless one is looking for a "saviour" because one has very recently abandoned religious dogma and is unable to deal with the very real uncertainties and pointlessness that is at the core of existence, and latches on to Science or Philosophy (with the CAPS) as a substitute for religious dogma. Both types of Saviour-seeking people are out there. Does not mean we all must abandon science or philosophy.

    "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #94 - November 11, 2011, 11:43 PM

    Well then it may be more effective to say all that to those people, not to someone who does not believe in Saviours, whether it be Science or Philosophy, and is calling for MORE debates, not to throw out either or. Wink

    Ahem. You were saying that Big P Thingy is needed to balance Teh Science, coz Teh Science is potentially evil and needed something to stop the slide into the depths of Mordor. grin12

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #95 - November 11, 2011, 11:47 PM

    Err... no Smiley

    Something I read somewhere:
    Science is bottom-up thinking, which most of the time doesn't reach the top.
    Philosophy is top-down, which most of the time, doesn't reach the bottom.


    Too much science with no (or badly done) philosophy --> Unchecked, non-reflective development --> Manhattan Project, Hiroshima, Climate Change, scientific justifications for slavery, sexism etc., Nuclear weapons in the hands of the likes of Pakistan and Iran, and everyone else, eugenics, privileging the few over the many.

    Too much philosophy with no science --> Cartesian dualism, Existential crises, Analysis paralysis, cultural relativism, privileging the few over the many

    Both are needed to balance each other.


    I said both are needed. Did not say Science is potentially evil, and Philosophy is a Saviour.... it's a bit of a stretch to take what I actually wrote and extract "OH SCIENCE IS EVIL!!!" from it. The nuance is that both have their place.

    "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #96 - November 11, 2011, 11:58 PM

    Okay, how about we first define what we think is "science" and "philosophy". Science is the collection, analysis and application of data, with no inherent concern about "ethics" or "morality". Science asks What and How.

    I'd go with that as a basic working definition for now.

    Quote
    Philosophy is the study of meanings, and values,

    Yes, it's effectively a belief system, rather like religion. IOW, it's a bit like science without the "reality check". If you claim the earth is square in science, someone can ruin your day by showing you it's round. If you claim the earth is square as part of your preferred abstract ramblings, then as long as you're consistent nobody can use abstract methods to shoot you down. I suppose that's why philosophy is part of 3/ in this image. Wink




    Quote
    and incorporates the study of "ethics" and "morality", although it (philosophy) is diverse and is not inherently "ethical" or "moral" (or unethical or immoral), due to its diversity. Philosophy asks Why. (Disclaimer: These are my views; doesn't mean I expect everyone to define these as such, which is why I asked for your definition Smiley )

    Could do with a bit more IMHO. F'rinstance, the awesome wankfest of "How do we know that we know that we think we know what we know then?" is a what and how question, not a why question. So you'd have to include what and how under philosophy, or you would have to take those questions away from philosophy and give them to the scientists (which would make teh philostophers really grumpy).

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #97 - November 12, 2011, 12:01 AM

    Err... no Smiley

    I said both are needed. Did not say Science is potentially evil, and Philosophy is a Saviour.... it's a bit of a stretch to take what I actually wrote and extract "OH SCIENCE IS EVIL!!!" from it. The nuance is that both have their place.

    No. Science is fundamentally amoral, and has the potential to be used for "evil" purposes, and needs philosophy to balance it. That's your claim and that's what I said your claim was (even if I did word my point in an irreverrent fashion).

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #98 - November 12, 2011, 12:14 AM

    I'd go with that as a basic working definition for now.


    Okay so then you agree that science is inherently amoral.... what are you then arguing in your next post? An inherent ethic/morality exists within science?

    Yes, it's effectively a belief system, rather like religion. IOW, it's a bit like science without the "reality check". If you claim the earth is square in science, someone can ruin your day by showing you it's round. If you claim the earth is square as part of your preferred abstract ramblings, then as long as you're consistent nobody can use abstract methods to shoot you down. I suppose that's why philosophy is part of 3/ in this image. Wink

    (Clicky for piccy!)


    Anyone can make any image Smiley Philosophy incorporates theology, but it is not theology... I would think you would know that, os Grin Philosophy is the study of meanings/values.... that includes everything from various theologies to nihilisms and everything in between.

    As for reality checks, well, like I said in my post:
    Too much philosophy with no science --> Cartesian dualism, Existential crises, Analysis paralysis, cultural relativism, privileging the few over the many

    You are stuck on me saying that science needs philosophy (ethics in particular) for balance, but you seem to be ignoring all the ways I critique philosophy that is not grounded in science.

    Could do with a bit more IMHO. F'rinstance, the awesome wankfest of "How do we know that we know that we think we know what we know then?" is a what and how question, not a why question. So you'd have to include what and how under philosophy, or you would have to take those questions away from philosophy and give them to the scientists (which would make teh philostophers really grumpy).


    Well those philosophers are idjuts, IMO, rather like those scientists who would like to throw out philosophy altogether; they have decided on one or the other as Teh Saviour, and think the other side is so far away and never the twain shall meet. Both pretty polarized and ultimately stupid positions, IMO.

    Epistemology is a particular study that may have its place, but it is probably the most confusing (and thus annoying) of all studies. It's not the part of philosophy that particularly interests me personally, precisely because it is so bloody futile. When I see scientists railing against philosophy, I realize it is epistemology that is most annoying to them, but that is not all of philosophy. That is rooted in a search for "objectivity". I do not believe in moral/philosophical objectivity at all, so it is pointless to go and fuckin' look for it, IMO. But to throw out all philosophy would also mean throwing out the study of ethics/morality as those are also not "checkable" by science, and that is where I disagree with those who'd like to see philosophy gone.

    "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #99 - November 12, 2011, 12:27 AM

    Okay so then you agree that science is inherently amoral.... what are you then arguing in your next post? An inherent ethic/morality exists within science?

    Eh wot? Nothing of the sort. I agree that science is fundamentally amoral.


    Quote
    You are stuck on me saying that science needs philosophy (ethics in particular) for balance, but you seem to be ignoring all the ways I critique philosophy that is not grounded in science.

    So how do you propose to do that?


    Quote
    Well those philosophers are idjuts, IMO, rather like those scientists who would like to throw out philosophy altogether; they have decided on one or the other as Teh Saviour, and think the other side is so far away and never the twain shall meet. Both pretty polarized and ultimately stupid positions, IMO.

    TBH I think that questions like "How do we know that we know?" are either not meaningful questions, or getting very close to being daft questions. At some point the most rationally consistent and intellectually honest response becomes "Stop being an idiot". Reason is a useful tool, but is inherently limited. It is not the right tool for dealing with every question that can possibly be phrased.


    Quote
    Epistemology is a particular study that may have its place, but it is probably the most confusing (and thus annoying) of all studies. It's not the part of philosophy that particularly interests me personally, precisely because it is so bloody futile. When I see scientists railing against philosophy, I realize it is epistemology that is most annoying to them, but that is not all of philosophy. That is rooted in a search for "objectivity". I do not believe in moral/philosophical objectivity at all, so it is pointless to go and fuckin' look for it, IMO. But to throw out all philosophy would also mean throwing out the study of ethics/morality as those are also not "checkable" by science, and that is where I disagree with those who'd like to see philosophy gone.

    Yep, we defo need workable standards for practical use. No problem with that. IMO that's about all we need though. The pointless and pretentious wankery is just a waste of time.

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #100 - November 12, 2011, 12:29 AM

    Gotta run. BBL. Smiley

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #101 - November 12, 2011, 12:51 AM

    I'd go with that as a basic working definition for now.
    Yes, it's effectively a belief system, rather like religion. IOW, it's a bit like science without the "reality check". If you claim the earth is square in science, someone can ruin your day by showing you it's round. If you claim the earth is square as part of your preferred abstract ramblings, then as long as you're consistent nobody can use abstract methods to shoot you down. I suppose that's why philosophy is part of 3/ in this image. Wink



    Are you saying that science is not a belief system?
    Also, what are you considering a belief system to be? A system of thought that attempts to explain reality but has one or more unexplained (or unexplainable) premises?

    At evening, casual flocks of pigeons make
    Ambiguous undulations as they sink,
    Downward to darkness, on extended wings. - Stevens
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #102 - November 12, 2011, 01:13 AM

    Just thought I'd throw this in for interest's sake.

    Sam Harris's The Moral Landscape (Belief chapter):

    Science has long been in the values business. Despite a widespread belief to the
    contrary, scientific validity is not the result of scientists abstaining from making value
    judgments; rather, scientific validity is the result of scientists making their best effort to
    value principles of reasoning that link their beliefs to reality, through reliable chains of
    evidence and argument. This is how norms of rational thought are made effective.

    To say that judgments of truth and goodness both invoke specific norms seems
    another way of saying that they are both matters of cognition, as opposed to mere
    sentiment. That is why one cannot defend one’s factual or moral position by reference to
    one’s preferences. One cannot say that water is H2O or that lying is wrong simply because
    one wants to think this way. To defend such propositions, one must invoke a deeper
    principle. To believe that X is true or that Y is ethical is also to believe others should
    share these beliefs under similar circumstances.

    The answer to the question “What should I believe, and why should I believe it?”
    is generally a scientific one. Believe a proposition because it is well supported by theory
    and evidence; believe it because it has been experimentally verified; believe it because a
    generation of smart people have tried their best to falsify it and failed; believe it because
    it is true (or seems so). This is a norm of cognition as well as the core of any scientific
    mission statement. As far as our understanding of the world is concerned— there are no
    facts without values.

    Against the ruin of the world, there
    is only one defense: the creative act.

    -- Kenneth Rexroth
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #103 - November 12, 2011, 07:24 AM

    Are you saying that science is not a belief system?

    Not in the same sense, because it relies on tangible evidence rather than just relying on abstract thought.


    Quote
    Also, what are you considering a belief system to be? A system of thought that attempts to explain reality but has one or more unexplained (or unexplainable) premises?

    No. See above. Wink

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #104 - November 16, 2011, 05:56 PM

    Richard Feynman was mentioned in another thread as someone who hated Philosophy. He was one of the scientists who helped developed the atom bomb that killed millions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So... science without philosophy (of which is a subset Ethics) can be unchecked and unreflexive, and physically (not metaphysically) harmful.


    I found this interesting;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ah7f-1M2Sg
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #105 - February 21, 2012, 09:32 AM

    This thread is worth a read and the pics were funny Grin.

    You got schooled by Allat,Oz grin12

    "I'm standing here like an asshole holding my Charles Dickens"

    "No theory,No ready made system,no book that has ever been written to save the world. i cleave to no system.."-Bakunin
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #106 - February 21, 2012, 09:47 AM

    Ya reckon? I thought she dodged a lot of stuff.

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #107 - February 21, 2012, 10:09 AM

    I think she made some good points that you can throw philosophy out the window and focus on science only,and vice versa whistling2

    "I'm standing here like an asshole holding my Charles Dickens"

    "No theory,No ready made system,no book that has ever been written to save the world. i cleave to no system.."-Bakunin
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #108 - February 21, 2012, 10:10 AM

    And who said anyone should do that?

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #109 - February 21, 2012, 10:14 AM

    Unless i misunderstood your posts but you seem to be favouring science over philosophy.

    "I'm standing here like an asshole holding my Charles Dickens"

    "No theory,No ready made system,no book that has ever been written to save the world. i cleave to no system.."-Bakunin
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #110 - February 21, 2012, 10:16 AM

    Well, I favour checking your assumptions against reality when possible, rather than just assuming that being intellectually consistent is good enough.

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #111 - February 21, 2012, 10:20 AM

    Grin

    "I'm standing here like an asshole holding my Charles Dickens"

    "No theory,No ready made system,no book that has ever been written to save the world. i cleave to no system.."-Bakunin
  • Re: z0mg philololosophy s0xerz
     Reply #112 - February 21, 2012, 10:29 AM

    It does seem like a prudent precaution. grin12

    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
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