My argument against materialism

[dlorde]

Unfortunately I saw no explanation of what energy is(is constituted of).
...
Please define energy without using(x) matter?

Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, electrical, or other forms.

It is not a substance, it is not constituted of stuff, it is a capacity that provides a way of describing how things interact. When I facepalm yet again, the chemical energy in my muscles is converted to kinetic energy of my moving arm, and when my palm meets my forehead, as it does with monotonous regularity in this thread, the kinetic energy of my arm & hand is converted into sound energy (slap!), heat energy, elastic potential energy, and so-on.

For someone who claims to have read about science, you are strikingly ignorant of science basics. My previous analysis stands - reading is not sufficient, simple understanding is necessary.

 

[annnnoid]

Pixy quite explicitly said:

Science is the only way we have to answer questions about the world that actually works.

‘Do you love your children’ is a question asked by multitudes of people in this world.

PROVE that science is the ONLY reliable way of answering questions that works (this will certainly be major news to all those who somehow conclude that they do, in fact, love their children without resort to any variety of scientific epistemology what-so-ever).

…otherwise, we shall have to conclude….as usual…that Pixy is flat out wrong.

All you oh-so-smug skeptics think this is all irrelevant B.S. The thing is, I can all but guarantee you that science has absolutely nothing what-so-ever to do with 99% of the life you live and the choices you make every day of your lives (except for Pixy of course....Pixy doubtless wakes in the morning and starts counting atoms and calculates his way to a bowel movement).

As Atran said: "...contrary to all evidence and reason, you want life to be rational and science based...."

Sorry dudes, it ain't.

So go ahead...if Pixy isn't around I'm sure one of you other brilliant skeptics oughta be able to handle such a simple question. How about you Belz. The ultimate Pixy groupie. Got any ideas?

Prove that science is the ONLY reliable way to answer questions about the world.

 

[laca]

There is knowledge relating to aspects of life in which science takes little interest or fails to provide much knowledge about.

Yes, but that is fundamentally different from "is not scientifically testable", which was your original claim.

Are we all to wait in bated breath for science to provide the formula for a happy and contented life for example.

 

[laca]

Do you love your children?

I know this was not directed at me, but since I agree with PixyMisa on this one, I'll answer too.

Yes, I do love my children.

 

[Lord Emsworth]

I know this was not directed at me, but since I agree with PixyMisa on this one, I'll answer too.

Yes, I do love my children.

I asked God, and She can only comfirm that. Ask her yourselves, if you don't trust me.

Thus the hypothesis stands.

 

[dafydd]

Pixy quite explicitly said:



‘Do you love your children’ is a question asked by multitudes of people in this world.

PROVE that science is the ONLY reliable way of answering questions that works (this will certainly be major news to all those who somehow conclude that they do, in fact, love their children without resort to any variety of scientific epistemology what-so-ever).

…otherwise, we shall have to conclude….as usual…that Pixy is flat out wrong.

All you oh-so-smug skeptics think this is all irrelevant B.S. The thing is, I can all but guarantee you that science has absolutely nothing what-so-ever to do with 99% of the life you live and the choices you make every day of your lives (except for Pixy of course....Pixy doubtless wakes in the morning and starts counting atoms and calculates his way to a bowel movement).

As Atran said: "...contrary to all evidence and reason, you want life to be rational and science based...."

Sorry dudes, it ain't.

So go ahead...if Pixy isn't around I'm sure one of you other brilliant skeptics oughta be able to handle such a simple question. How about you Belz. The ultimate Pixy groupie. Got any ideas?

Prove that science is the ONLY reliable way to answer questions about the world.

Which particular religion or philosophy has the right answers about the world? Which one enables you to surf the internet? I am not smug,merely asking for proof.

 

[Mister Agenda]

Pixy quite explicitly said:



‘Do you love your children’ is a question asked by multitudes of people in this world.

PROVE that science is the ONLY reliable way of answering questions that works (this will certainly be major news to all those who somehow conclude that they do, in fact, love their children without resort to any variety of scientific epistemology what-so-ever).

…otherwise, we shall have to conclude….as usual…that Pixy is flat out wrong.

All you oh-so-smug skeptics think this is all irrelevant B.S. The thing is, I can all but guarantee you that science has absolutely nothing what-so-ever to do with 99% of the life you live and the choices you make every day of your lives (except for Pixy of course....Pixy doubtless wakes in the morning and starts counting atoms and calculates his way to a bowel movement).

As Atran said: "...contrary to all evidence and reason, you want life to be rational and science based...."

Sorry dudes, it ain't.

So go ahead...if Pixy isn't around I'm sure one of you other brilliant skeptics oughta be able to handle such a simple question. How about you Belz. The ultimate Pixy groupie. Got any ideas?

Prove that science is the ONLY reliable way to answer questions about the world.

I disagree with Pixy. 'Science' is too specific a term to apply to all knowledge. Empiricism and reason, with empricism being primary, would have been the more accurate thing to say, and although 'science' could be taken as short-hand for that, it was perhaps over-simplifying.

Yes I love my child. I know that because of direct observation of my own experience and understanding of all the terms involved, said understanding derived from experiencing many examples of what each of the words involved mean and corroboration of what other people mean when they say them.

 

[PixyMisa]

‘Do you love your children’ is a question asked by multitudes of people in this world.

So?

 

[PixyMisa]

Do you love your children?

My great-great-great-grand-daughter Zixie traveled all the way out to Epsilon Eridani to join me on my flatworm farm, which would suggest some degree of filial affection.

She seems like a nice girl. Can't herd planaria to save her life, but nice.

 

[Dancing David]

Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, electrical, or other forms.

It is not a substance, it is not constituted of stuff, it is a capacity that provides a way of describing how things interact. When I facepalm yet again, the chemical energy in my muscles is converted to kinetic energy of my moving arm, and when my palm meets my forehead, as it does with monotonous regularity in this thread, the kinetic energy of my arm & hand is converted into sound energy (slap!), heat energy, elastic potential energy, and so-on.

For someone who claims to have read about science, you are strikingly ignorant of science basics. My previous analysis stands - reading is not sufficient, simple understanding is necessary.

Matter is energy all the time.

 

[tsig]

Unfortunately I saw no explanation of what energy is(is constituted of).
Do you remember my discussion with Robin about unbounded, well we have a similar problem here.

We have matter(x) and energy .

can only de known to exist through being a part of or acting upon (x).

This may be fine, but a physicist on this forum told me the other day that everything is energy.

Please define energy without using(x) matter?

What kind of energy, heat, electrical, chemical?

 

[tsig]

There is knowledge relating to aspects of life in which science takes little interest or fails to provide much knowledge about. Are we all to wait in bated breath for science to provide the formula for a happy and contented life for example.

Why would you expect science to have a formula for a happy and contented life?

 

[tsig]

It was mainly historic in the founding and establishing of Roman catholicism, Brahmanism and the like.

The division was already long established for example when Newton and Darwin where tormented over the reception their work would be given by the religious establishment on publication.

So the Pope, Brahmins and others are engaged in a conspiracy?

 

[tsig]

Matter is energy all the time.

As Einstein said:

E = mc2


http://www.btinternet.com/~j.doyle/SR/Emc2/Equation.htm

 

[tsig]

Do you love your children?

No, they're horrible bores who only want to give their souls to god and their money to the preacher. I hates 'em I do, with their smarmy smiles and glazed eyes when they speak of traveling to heaven; just makes me want to shorten their trip. I strongly suspect they're after my money to give to their cult so I refuse to drink or eat anything they've been around.

 

[Robin]

‘Do you love your children’ is a question asked by multitudes of people in this world.

PROVE that science is the ONLY reliable way of answering questions that works (this will certainly be major news to all those who somehow conclude that they do, in fact, love their children without resort to any variety of scientific epistemology what-so-ever).

Some people reach the the conclusion that they love their children and then go on to abuse them horribly.

So I can't really share the confidence you have in the epistemology that people are using when they reach that conclusion.

 

[Dancing David]

Why would you expect science to have a formula for a happy and contented life?

Well, there are people who research quality of life, but it is more of a rubric than a formula.

 

[SusanB-M1]

devinull

Journal Entry - March 4th, 2011

Yes, but it's now compulsive, so I read every post in case I miss something!!

 

[The Norseman]

Thankyou for your links yesterday.

I already knew that and saw no explanation of what energy is.

I repeat (now I'm starting to sound like a jumping record), I am a big fan of science. This either or line you keep suggesting is not necessary, I don't buy it.
I understand that there are theists who do take this line, as I see it they are mistaken. This divide or gulf between science and religion which has developed in the west is another consequence of the manipulation of religious movements for "political" ends.

The true scientists and theologians through the ages have been repeatedly driven apart by this manipulation and the resultant them and us "secularism".
Have you ever heard of the phrase "divide and rule".

The divide or gulf between science and religion are just part of your illusion. That you still see it thus means you haven't quite yet outgrown your attachments.

There is knowledge relating to aspects of life in which science takes little interest or fails to provide much knowledge about. Are we all to wait in bated breath for science to provide the formula for a happy and contented life for example.

I don't know of much that science doesn't take an interest in -- that people are studying with the scientific method.

And I do understand, however, the thought that Hindu philosophy provides more satisfying answers than science. Many people need to find comfort in something even if it's an illusion.

Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, electrical, or other forms.

It is not a substance, it is not constituted of stuff, it is a capacity that provides a way of describing how things interact. When I facepalm yet again, the chemical energy in my muscles is converted to kinetic energy of my moving arm, and when my palm meets my forehead, as it does with monotonous regularity in this thread, the kinetic energy of my arm & hand is converted into sound energy (slap!), heat energy, elastic potential energy, and so-on.

For someone who claims to have read about science, you are strikingly ignorant of science basics. My previous analysis stands - reading is not sufficient, simple understanding is necessary.

Nominated.

Pixy quite explicitly said:



‘Do you love your children’ is a question asked by multitudes of people in this world.

PROVE that science is the ONLY reliable way of answering questions that works (this will certainly be major news to all those who somehow conclude that they do, in fact, love their children without resort to any variety of scientific epistemology what-so-ever).

…otherwise, we shall have to conclude….as usual…that Pixy is flat out wrong.

All you oh-so-smug skeptics think this is all irrelevant B.S. The thing is, I can all but guarantee you that science has absolutely nothing what-so-ever to do with 99% of the life you live and the choices you make every day of your lives (except for Pixy of course....Pixy doubtless wakes in the morning and starts counting atoms and calculates his way to a bowel movement).

As Atran said: "...contrary to all evidence and reason, you want life to be rational and science based...."

Sorry dudes, it ain't.

So go ahead...if Pixy isn't around I'm sure one of you other brilliant skeptics oughta be able to handle such a simple question. How about you Belz. The ultimate Pixy groupie. Got any ideas?

Prove that science is the ONLY reliable way to answer questions about the world.

Science being the only reliable way to answer questions about the universe is self-evident. If there were more reliable methods, they'd already be in use, especially since Hindu philosophy or Christianity for example have been around for thousands of years.

 

[annnnoid]

So?

When incapable of answering a question, behave childishly and pretend the issue is irrelevant.

Some people reach the the conclusion that they love their children and then go on to abuse them horribly.

So I can't really share the confidence you have in the epistemology that people are using when they reach that conclusion.

It is, of course, a profoundly incomprehensible mystery that this universe has somehow created a race of creatures with some manner of capacity to decide their own fate. With the ability to evaluate their own condition and take responsibility for achieving something that might be described as harmony, balance, understanding (or not). Somehow the ability to choose must come with the ability to choose incorrectly. The issue of personal responsibility/free will lies at the very heart of human nature. What it means, whether it exists, and how or if it is achieved are issues that are ultimately unanswerable. It simply becomes an individual question: how will I live my life? Religion has all the answers, but religion doesn’t know what they mean or where they come from (a broad generalization). Science has none of the answers, so there’s no need to even look there (yet). So the questions are always the same, and the answers are always the same. Choose for yourself.

Of course, you could question the morality of a universe so constructed. And who\what might you question? …when the very reality you occupy is itself a function of the immorality you dispute. When your own intelligibility is, in fact, unintelligible. Give it a try, and see where it gets you.

I personally know a number of people who love their children profoundly and would likely cut off their arm before they allowed any variety of abuse to occur. My impression of the epistemology is that it is supremely functional….under very specific conditions.