Does science answer "what is it" questions ?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether science can adequately answer "what is it" questions, particularly in relation to concepts such as electric charge, time, space, consciousness, and gravity. Participants explore the nature of these questions and the limitations of scientific inquiry in providing definitive answers.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that science primarily addresses "how" questions rather than "what is it" questions, implying that definitions are crucial for scientific discourse.
  • Others argue that certain "what is it" questions may be inherently unsatisfiable, as they reflect a deeper philosophical inquiry into the essence of concepts.
  • A participant humorously engages with the question by referencing the nature of a horse, indicating a playful approach to the topic.
  • Another participant notes that scientific inquiry can reach limits, described as a "brick wall," where current knowledge fails to provide satisfactory answers.
  • There are multiple humorous interjections that divert from the main topic, indicating a light-hearted tone among participants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature and scope of "what is it" questions, with no consensus reached on whether science can or should address them. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the adequacy of scientific explanations for such inquiries.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight the potential for philosophical dimensions in "what is it" questions, suggesting that definitions and the essence of concepts may not be fully captured by scientific methods.

Nick666
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Does science answer "what is it" questions ? Answers that would be something other than the phenomenology associated with it . It being ...whatever...electric charge, time, space, consciousness, gravity etc . Or maybe is it physics that doesn't answer "what is it" kind of questions ?
 
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It depends. There's a way of asking what a thing is such that no answer will suffice.

"What is a horse? I mean, does anyone really know what a horse is? Has anyone really fathomed the essence of horse-ness?"

Substitute any term for horse, and you can see that this is the type of questioner who will not be satisfied by any answer, ever.
 
zoobyshoe said:
What is a horse?

Sorry, can't resist:

Horse is as everyone can see.

(in Polish: Koń, jaki jest, każdy widzi, IMHO better translated as "Horse, how it looks like, everyone sees for himself").

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowe_Ateny
 
Borek said:
"Horse, how it looks like, everyone sees for himself"
Is that straight from the horses mouth? Or the other end?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.
 
Horse is as everyone can see.
Samuel Johnson's English Dictionary isn't much more enlightening:
A neighing quadruped, used in war, and draught and carriage.
 
zoobyshoe said:
"What is a horse?

Blast you, now I'm going to have that silly tune dancing in my head all day:

"http://bussongs.com/songs/a-horse-is-a-horse-mr-ed-tv-show.php"
 
Stop horsing around, y'all.
:biggrin:
 
OP, I'm not sure I understand your question.

In general, science aims to answer "how" questions, and one step to do this is using precise definitions. So "what is it" is usually answered using a definition.
 
Enigman said:
Stop horsing around, y'all.
:biggrin:
Oh, get off yer high horse!
 
  • #10
zoobyshoe said:
"What is a horse?

A horse is a horse, of course of course..
 
  • #13
You can 'why' any subject in science until it hits a brick wall. That brick wall is the frontier of scientific knowledge. Science never 'gives up' on these questions, it just doesn't have any good answers - yet.
 

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