Russ Abbott wrote:
Glen,
That seems so defeatist. When one can't be clear, there may not be
anything one can do about it at the time. But it seems to me that the
positive arc of science, technology, philosophy, politics, culture,
etc. (and I think it has been overall a positive arc) has been driven
by the imperative to be as clear as possible as much as possible.
Feynman famously said "Science is what we have learned about how not
to fool ourselves about the way the world is. " Are you really
objecting to that as a goal? (It certainly won't work as a software
development strategy!) I would have thought that this list especially
would value clarity.
I used to reject Freeman Dyson's aphorism "It is better to be wrong than
vague" out of hand. I now accept it conditionally. I accept this
statement as a value judgement about "clarity" rather than one about
quantifying accuracy and uncertainty.
I specialize (personally and professionally) in trying to understand new
concepts outside of familiar paradigms. This sometimes requires
embracing ambiguity or even ignorance. I believe that many scientific
breakthroughs (leading to paradigm shifts) involved a great deal of
(temporary) lack of clarity. I doubt that many understood Relativity
(general or special) or Quantum Theory on their first listen/read.... to
them the extant explanations were anything but clear... but to quote
Einstien... the were perhaps "as simple as possible but no simpler".
"Is it a wave or is it a particle?" seems like a pretty clear question
with (one of two) pretty clear answer(s). But if you understand quantum
theory, you appreciate why this is not such a simple question.
All that said, I think most people here in most discussions are seeking
clarity. I myself sometimes might be deliberately *expanding* the
ambiguity of a discussion or point with the goal of avoiding various
(potential) local minima in understanding. I'm not as likely to be
exercising my zen-master impression with Koans, but I suspect a few here
of being good enough to do that.
- Steve
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