Philosophy v Physics

[RichardCranium]

For those enjoying the earlier today about science and the philosophy of science, here some ammo for your .

BBC Radio 4, The Infinite Monkey Cage, Series 3, Episode 4. Philosophy.

Physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are joined by special guests Alexei Sayle and philosopher Julian Baggini to discuss Stephen Hawking's recent comment that "philosophy is dead". Does the progress of science mean the need for disciplines such as philosophy and even religion are negated as we understand more and more about how the world works. Or are there some things, such as human consciousness, that science will never be able to fully explain.

I listened to the programme; apparently the podcast is longer (by 4 minutes ).

[d000hg]

For those enjoying the earlier today about science and the philosophy of science

Where was this ?

[Gibbon]

With the decline of traditional religion we probably need philosophy (love of wisdom) even more. Whilst science can tell us what we are and how we function it isn’t in itself wisdom rather knowledge and powerful at that. However, especially with the speed of discovery of bio technology in all it’s guises we need wise people to enable us to adapt and embrace all the new wonders without destroying what it is to be human. Philosophy isn’t some airy-fairy subject it requires rigorous logical thought and is the most difficult of all the humanities. Philosophers think about things like ethics and morality and try to come up with solutions to enable humans to behave in a way that promotes social cohesion that to a certain extant religion does but with added superstition. So my answer is yes, we still need philosophy.

N.B. I said all that without one reference to Greece or Rome.

[TimberWolf]

With the decline of traditional religion we probably need philosophy (love of wisdom) even more. Whilst science can tell us what we are and how we function it isn’t in itself wisdom rather knowledge and powerful at that. However, especially with the speed of discovery of bio technology in all it’s guises we need wise people to enable us to adapt and embrace all the new wonders without destroying what it is to be human. Philosophy isn’t some airy-fairy subject it requires rigorous logical thought and is the most difficult of all the humanities. Philosophers think about things like ethics and morality and try to come up with solutions to enable humans to behave in a way that promotes social cohesion that to a certain extant religion does but with added superstition. So my answer is yes, we still need philosophy.

N.B. I said all that without one reference to Greece or Rome.

There no reason why science shouldn't be able to lend itself to 'think about' things like ethics and morality or love and beauty. If philosophy were to ever produce anything of value from it's examination of those things, other than a mountain of gibberish hotly disputed by other philosophers, that would be the science, or at least form part of it.

[EternalOptimist]

Philosophy is thinking about thinking. It has two main strands, what is true and what is right. It has been said that todays philosophy is tomorrows common sense, and it has also been said that if all philosophers went on strike for ten years , no one would notice

[kandr]

I don't see why these have to be VS each other, they are distinct areas of study. Waste of time.

[kandr]

There no reason why science shouldn't be able to lend itself to 'think about' things like ethics and morality or love and beauty. If philosophy were to ever produce anything of value from it's examination of those things, other than a mountain of gibberish hotly disputed by other philosophers, that would be the science, or at least form part of it.

Breathtaking stupidity again, what about the Arts should they be abandoned because Science can explain how someone moves a paint brush. The work of Socrates, Kant, Descartes, Hume, Russell etc. all gibberish according to you. What a complete moron.

[cojak]

I thought that physics was an evolutionary branch of philosophy (if I remember Sophie's world correctly).

[OwlHoot]

Where was this ?

Yes, I missed that too.

One useful function of philosophers, even if they don't find many answers, is to remind us and clarify what isn't certain and hopefully why not. "Asking the right questions" and all that.

You might be amazed how many murky corners there are in physics for example, and not just high energy exotica and black holes and suchlike. There are many quite commonplace phenomena that largely baffle scientists to this day, although these are gradually being picked off one by one.

But there are still so many problems that are more likely to yield to current rubriks that most scientists take a pragmatic "shut up and calculate" view, and are content if it gives the right answers - They're more likely to get tenure that way than working on obscure foundational issues that have baffled everyone for decades (and which they are much less likely to solve).

For all his great past achievements, Hawkings best days physics-wise are long behind him and he knows it. Claiming that philosophy is dead is an admission of defeat, in keeping with his other recent increasingly pessimistic pronouncements.

[cojak]

And as a quick quiz, what area of computer science relates directly to philosophy?*

*Gibbon can tell me if my answer's wrong, but I don't think it is.