"If science is a study of substances and their relationships, then the field of cultural anthropology is a scientific absurdity. In terms of substance there is no such thing as a culture. It has no mass, no energy. No scientific laboratory instrument has ever been devised that can distinguish a culture from a non-culture.
But if science is a study of stable patterns of value, then cultural anthropology becomes a supremely scientific field. A culture can be defined as a network of social patterns of value." On Jan 29, 2008, at 3:14 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Quoting Steven Peterson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > >> Platt: >>> Study happiness and suffering scientifically? I have no idea what >>> that >>> means, but it has a Orwellian flavor. After all, Pirsig makes the >>> point >>> repeatedly that the trouble with science is that it ethically it has >>> nothing to offer. >> >> He is criticizing SOM science. Pirsig redifines science as studying >> stable >> patterns of value. In that case, only DQ can't be studied >> scientifically. > > Hi Steve, > > Pirsig redefines science as the study of social and intellectual > patterns of > value? That's news to me. Can you cite a reference? > >> Why can't behaviors or attitudes that lead to happiness or suffering >> be studied? > > You can study whatever you want. In fact, you can find a study to back > up most > anything you want to believe. The question is, how do you know when > the study > is valid? Lots of studies showed eugenics would bring happiness to > humanity. > > Regards, > Platt > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------- > This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
