Edwina, List,
How are societal norms not a matter of the scientific method? Are politology, psychology, philosophy, sociology not sciences?
Best, Helmut
16. Januar 2026 um 19:50
"Edwina Taborsky" <[email protected]>
wrote:Gary R, List
In an offlist conversation between myself and Gary R, Gary posted the below:
What I quoted of yours was written before you discussed hypotheses as being metaphysical, something which I find peculiar but quite interesting. I think it is worth exploring further. These quotations are, I think, relevant to the discussion:
“Every attempt to understand the universe involves some metaphysics.”
CP 1.129
“Metaphysics is a science, in the same sense in which physics is a science.”
CP 6.6
“Metaphysical propositions are to be judged in the same way as other scientific hypotheses.”
CP 6.13
Exactly. Thanks for the quotes. That’s exactly my point. I understand ‘hypothesis construction’ in science to be ‘metaphysics’ - and, as Peirce points out, should be subject to the ‘same approach as other scientific hypotheses’ ie, open to fallibility via empirical tests.
And that’s why I caution about metaphysics that is used in the non-fallible ‘fixation of belief tactics of tenacity, authority and a priori, which are basic to ‘seminar room metaphysics’, and are held by emotional commitment and not open to evidentiary fallibility.
These are the foundation of religions, societal norms, etc - even in medical and other belief systems [remember when swallowing tapeworms was advised for weight loss?] - and should be open to empirical scrutiny.. In religions, of course, these must be accepted or you are defined as a ‘heretic’…I do not deny the obvious societal advantages of collectivist beliefs; in our species - they are necessary since our knowledge base is collectivist rather than genetic. But - we still remain as individuals and able to think as such - and since we operate also in 2ns, then, we must require factual [2ness type] evidence.
Edwina
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