" Once speaking like this, of course, one may as well be dead to most ears."
You expressed the content precisely, Neil ! You're alive to my ears. On Mar 26, 4:20 am, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > The Snell and Ludwig programmes address the further problem of how to > determine the extension, e.g., the numerical values, of a theoretical > term from a given set of observational data. This is called the > “measurement problem”, not to be confounded with the well-known > measurement problem in quantum theory. Typically the measurement > problem has no unique solution. Rather the values of the theoretical > quantities can only be measured within a certain degree of imprecision > and using auxiliary assumptions which, although plausible, are not > confirmed with certainty. Using Newton's work on motion one would have > to use the auxiliary assumption that the trajectories of the particles > are twice differentiable and that other forces except the > gravitational forces can be neglected. The feature of imprecision and > approximation plays a prominent rôle in the structuralistic programs. > In the context of the measurement problem, imprecision seems to be a > defect of the theory which impedes the exact determination of the > theoretical quantities. However, imprecision and non-uniqueness is > crucial in the context of evolution of theories and the transition to > new and “better” theories. Otherwise the new theory could in general > not encompass the successful applications of the old theory. Consider > for example the transition of Kepler's theory of planetary motion to > Newton's and Einstein's theories: Newtonian gravitation theory and > general relativity replace the Kepler ellipses with more complicated > curves. But these should still be consistent with the old astronomical > observations, which is only possible if they don't fit exactly into > Kepler's theory . Once speaking like this, of course, one may as well > be dead to most ears. > > On 25 Mar, 23:03, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > There already is a lot of precision with language in the area Craig > > (just remember how hard the logical positivists tried). Reality is > > often held to be 'somewhere else' and there are all kinds of > > measurement problems - the Copenhagen one that has been tossed out to > > the layman being relatively uninteresting to scientists. There are > > many competing views. Science is often more concerned not to let the > > Idols skew decent thinking or prevent experiment than with words - > > thinking just really ain't about language, but then comes the point of > > discussion with others and so on. The danger then is that people > > outside your field don't know enough of your specialist language-games > > to understand what you are on about. 'Reality' as a term bobs around > > in many language-games - it would be a mistake to pin it to one > > definition, and it's probably a mistake to conflate the reality in > > someone's head to the real - we are surely aware of something beyond > > unless we have gone mad. Sooner or later we end up with a gadget or > > concept that crosses boundaries, and as Pat says, sooner or later > > science may all lapse to dross. If it happens next wek I hope I give > > it up more gracefully than those dolts who cling to religion! > > > On 25 Mar, 18:05, Justintruth <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > What is it about relativity and quantum mechanics that causes so much > > > trouble? > > > > I think it comes down to this: > > > > Relativity: In classical physics there is an image of what is at any > > > given point in time. Given two observers one can then use the physics > > > to predict what the results of their observations will be. However, > > > relativity breaks this concept down. There is no "what is at a given > > > point in time" rather the image that one must use to predict what one > > > will see is relative to the frame of reference meaning it is different > > > for two people who are moving relative to each other.. So if you ask > > > the question "What is right now?" the relativist will answer "relative > > > to which frame of reference?" Once you know what frame of reference > > > you are talking about then you know which image to use and you can > > > predict what observers will observe. > > > > Now this property of the theory causes many to equivocate it with > > > philosophical relativism. The claim can be made that the fact that > > > there is no answer to the question "What is right now?" means that > > > philosophical relativism is correct where the term philosophical > > > relativism means roughly that what is real is relative to the > > > perceiver and there is nothing tying different perceiver's perceptions > > > together. Several aspects of the scientific theory however causes this > > > equivocation to be false: First, the total set of events that occur is > > > the same for all observers. It is just when and where things occur > > > that is relative not whether and what occurs. Second, the way the sets > > > are arranged is not arbitrary. There are transformation equations > > > that, given one set of pictures corresponding to the nows of a frame > > > of reference, will allow me to produce any other observers pictures. > > > Third, by conceiving of the reality in a four dimensional space with > > > an appropriate metric one can, through a process of projection that is > > > very similiar to the way classical physics projects reality onto > > > observers, determine the "presents" of all frames of reference. > > > Fourth, relativity preserves the possibility of causality. Fifth, for > > > a given frame of reference all observers have the same set of nows and > > > the process of observation is like in classical physics. Sixth for all > > > frames of reference the observations are the same at collocated > > > points. No one disagrees about what is observed only how to arrange > > > that into a series of images that represent time by means of > > > calculations. > > > > Quantum Mechanics: The problem here is with the wave particle duality. > > > Prior to quantum mechanics there was a clear image of "what was" at > > > any given time. Either light was a wave or it was a particle. There > > > was no doubt that it could be both because they are not the same > > > thing. Everyone knew reality had to be in some imaginable way. Quantum > > > mechanics however does not state that there is some particular > > > objective image that constitutes the way things are. Quantum mechanics > > > does this by assuming that there are waves the amplitude of which > > > predict the probability of appearing of a particle. There is nothing > > > other than this probability of appearing in the theory that would > > > correspond to an image of "what really is". Due to the nature of waves > > > there are inherent uncertainties in what can be predicted. The > > > observation of the location of a particle results in complete > > > uncertainty about its motion and that uncertainty cannot be eliminated > > > by more careful observation-it is inherent in the reality. However, > > > again this cannot be equated with philosophical relativism since the > > > reality (here the actual appearings that really do appear at the > > > probabilities predicted by the theory) are the same for all observers > > > and again objectivity in the sense of something being the same for > > > everybody is preserved. > > > > It seems to me that the "objective" world of science is preserved > > > therefore and relativity and quantum cannot be equated with > > > relativism. The real philosophical issues therefore arise equally in > > > both classical and modern physics. The fact is that physical reality > > > is not determinable logically. One cannot derive physical law without > > > observation. Therefore it is dependent on observation. However, the > > > fact is that when observation is conducted then the laws of physics > > > that result are remarkably stable. They result to an amazing degree in > > > constraints on the logical possibilities. Throw a baseball. Logically > > > it can go out from your hand five feet then stop and hover. Physically > > > it won't, a statement that is not absolutely certain as it is based on > > > observation but is still very certain given the stability of the > > > essent and our to date scientific experience. The mystical > > > interpretation of reality are all based in careful analysis of > > > observation itself and on the basis underneath science and really are > > > about the foundation of science itself. The scientific theories do not > > > speak to it and the questions being asked are not scientific > > > questions. On the other side, mystical insight can frequently be > > > misinterpreted as science and you have the mistakes that can be seen > > > in "New Age" fundamentalism. > > > > So the net effect is to just eliminate naive objectivity in which one > > > imagines the world as a bunch of little marbles or as a wave continuum > > > or something. Still there is a description of a reality that allows > > > one to make predictions about future appearances - admittedly with > > > some uncertainty due to quantum mechanics. And these theories have > > > existential implications given our incarnate nature and the > > > possibility of death. > > > > Science does not lead to philosophical relativism and leaves open all > > > of the work necessary underneath the physical theories to determine > > > their meaning. The philosophical issues remain open to philosophical > > > inquiry and since the science is all based on observation the > > > uncertainty inherent in the process is always present. Those who > > > interpret scientific theory ontologically and state that scientific > > > law is true for all of the future and that scientific theories > > > determine all reality are making a simple non sequitor. They are > > > concluding that things will be as they have been. This conclusion is > > > justifiable scientifically (explicitly it is the assumption of > > > homogeneity of time) but is unfounded philosophically. In fact there > > > is the permanent possibility that future scientific experiment could > > > contradict current theory. They are also making another > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
