Have Scientists Always Been Philosophers in Disguise?

  • Thread starter Thread starter IntellectIsStrength
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around Mortimer J. Adler's book, which addresses "10 philosophical mistakes." Participants express interest in the book, with some planning to summarize its key points after reading it. There is a debate on the relationship between science and philosophy, particularly whether modern science could have developed without philosophical foundations. One contributor emphasizes that science relies on epistemology and methodologies, referencing Francis Bacon as a pivotal figure in the development of the scientific method. The conversation also touches on the challenge of making complex philosophical ideas accessible, suggesting that scientists might better explain philosophical concepts. Additionally, there is speculation about the historical context of scientific achievements, questioning whether early engineers and technicians operated without philosophical frameworks. The overall tone reflects a mix of curiosity about Adler's work and a critical examination of the interplay between science and philosophy.
IntellectIsStrength
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Has anyone read this book? It is written by Mortimer J. Adler.
I would like to know you opinions regarding this book.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Not really. Can you summerize these "10 philosophical mistakes" for us? Sounds interesting.
 
I haven't read it yet. I just ordered it and I will be getting it shortly. I'll summerize the key points of the book once I read it myself.
In the mean time, the following links will offer some interesting information regarding this book.

http://www.ephilosopher.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=PNAmazon&file=index2&asin=068481868X

 
Last edited by a moderator:
IntellectIsStrength said:
I haven't read it yet. I just ordered it and I will be getting it shortly. I'll summerize the key points of the book once I read it myself.
In the mean time, the following links will offer some interesting information regarding this book.

http://www.ephilosopher.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=PNAmazon&file=index2&asin=068481868X

Let's hope for your sake that "buy this book" is not one of the 10 :biggrin:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Science can operate without philosophy of science...?

Maybe Adler can tell us if modern sciences which have brought man to the moon and back and also prolonged life expectancy enormously, namely, could have developed without the philosophy of science or the science philosophers?

yrreg
 
Well, obviously science requires an epistemology. If you are to conduct research, you need a methodology by which you conduct research. Scientists use the scientific method, which is a product of epistemology. The method was first developed by a philosopher, Francis Bacon.
 
Men of science before the philosophy of science...?

I am trying to find a way to put dense and abstruse philosophical writings, specially of some philosophical thinkers today, into simple English so that people can get the ideas such thinkers are trying to tell the world.

On the naive assumption that scientists can explain things better than philosophers, even explain philosophers and their writings better than philosophers themselves, I come to entertain the idea that maybe if we get really good scientists and science writers to explain philosophy and philosophers, then we might just see what they are talking about, most specially those who talk unlike Adler.


Francis Bacon, was he a compiler of methods employed by people of the past and of his times, men we would now today call scientists, or did he think out the epistemology of science from out of the blue?

During his days and before his birth in the past there had always been engineers and technicians, for example, men who thought of ways and means to raise giant structures like the pyramids, the highways of imperial Rome, aqueducts, and build war machines, construct seafaring vessels, they are what we would today call scientists because they were doing science as they figured out how to produce their small and big and colossal contrivances.

These were men who did not have to read philosophy of science to achieve their extraordinary feats of structure and machinery -- because there was no philosophy of science then...(?)

Suppose those dense and abstruse philosophers of today write their ideas in the methodology of a term paper in a science report as we do in high school and also in college.

That should enable them to produce their ideas clearly and briefly, and maybe they might decide to not bring them out and convince thinking people about their worth.

yrreg
 
Back
Top