[Platt] Since evolution is "impossible to observe" it does seem to be outside science which, if I'm not mistaken, requires observation to establish the validity of it's theories.
[Arlo] Of course, we never "observe" quarks either, but our science posits that they are real. What we observe is small, micro-evolutionary movement that demonstrates that pattern adapt and change as they move towards "betterness". We can take snapshots of different moments in history and propose that changes between two and attributable to the same natural processes that we are able to observe. For example, consider geological evolution. No one was there to "observe" the entirety of the process that moved our earth from swirling mass of gas and particles to the inter-glacial world we see around us. We infer (or abduct, if you will) that there was a process of change, a natural process, that was the cause of this transition. But, since at any given point in the timeline it would only ever be possible to view this retrospectively, at each moment, including our own, it "appears" evolution has stopped. But, as I've said, the same inference that allows us to rest comfortably knowing the sun will rise tomorrow guides us to see that this process has not stopped, it just always appears to be so from any temporal vantage point. If you think that "science" is without inference, hypothetical induction or abduction, you take a limited view of science that is largely incorrect. [Platt] Is Conant's description of science wrong? Or do we make an exception for evolution when we bill it as a 'scientific" theory? [Arlo] I'm not familiar with Conant, or what he may or may not have meant by what he said, but given the way you apply it here, Conant would say that Quantum Theory lies outside science. A strange this to say. [Platt] Well, with all due respect to you and Mr. Pirsig, I consider his MOQ to be a macro-level evolutionary change in the intellectual level, so much so in fact that the intellectual level dominated by SOM is barely recognizable from the MOQ perspective. [Arlo] I'm sure the Japanese, who Pirsig informs us don't see the fuss we make, because they've gotten this all along, are happy to know that _WE_ have brought about evolutionary change to the intellectual level. 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/
