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David Deutsch: A new way to explain explanation
- Thread starter ambush80
- Start date
JB0704
I Gots Goats
I had to open the thread on account of the fellas name.......guess I need to watch the video now also.
ambush80
Senior Member
Deutsch is an amazing thinker.
ambush80
Senior Member
At 12:42
"Without a functional reason to prefer one of countless variants, advocating one of them in preference to the others is irrational"
Applying this to how one chooses which God(s) to believe in or whether to believe in a God at all is at the heart of many of our discussions. The most resilient, enduring argument that's been given is "Something supernatural must be responsible for everything natural."
Try to define that supernatural thing. Try to make sense while you do it. As Deutsch recommends, use observation (honestly) to explain the unseen. Rigorously and critically examine the source for your theory. See if anything else can easily be inserted for your "Supernatural thing". If something can easily take the place of your explanation, then your explanation is a bad one.
"Without a functional reason to prefer one of countless variants, advocating one of them in preference to the others is irrational"
Applying this to how one chooses which God(s) to believe in or whether to believe in a God at all is at the heart of many of our discussions. The most resilient, enduring argument that's been given is "Something supernatural must be responsible for everything natural."
Try to define that supernatural thing. Try to make sense while you do it. As Deutsch recommends, use observation (honestly) to explain the unseen. Rigorously and critically examine the source for your theory. See if anything else can easily be inserted for your "Supernatural thing". If something can easily take the place of your explanation, then your explanation is a bad one.
ambush80
Senior Member
15:08
"The search for hard to vary explanations is the origin of all progress. It's the basic regulating principle of The Enlightenment".
On explanationless theories:
"Whenever you're told that some existing statistical trend will continue, but you aren't given a hard to vary account of what causes that trend, you're being told a wizard did it".
"The search for hard to vary explanations is the origin of all progress. It's the basic regulating principle of The Enlightenment".
On explanationless theories:
"Whenever you're told that some existing statistical trend will continue, but you aren't given a hard to vary account of what causes that trend, you're being told a wizard did it".
bullethead
Of the hard cast variety
D D has a way of saying complex things in more simple terms.
ambush80
Senior Member
The words are so simple (he hardly ever uses a word that's more than three syllables long) and yet every word is so full of meaning. His ideas are far reaching.
Yes he is.
jmharris23
Moderator
He does have a great mind for sure.
jmharris23
Moderator
Does the biblical God and science HAVE to be at odds?
ambush80
Senior Member
Yes. Because the Bible makes very specific claims about physical reality; things it claims REALLY happened, that are at odds with what science has revealed. The only way that I can see them being compatible is if one were to take all the miracle claims (including the resurrection) and call them allegory or metaphor, like what Jefferson tried to do or like what Jordan Peterson (who is unapologetic about being a Christian) does. I know you're capable of imagining a world where the contemporary view of the resurrection could be seen as allegory. I imagine you may already do that with some of the miracle claims. It wouldn't change the message of "Love your neighbor" one bit.
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jmharris23
Moderator
No I don't. I think they really happened.
That said, thanks for the answer and I wasn't really thinking in this vein when I asked the question although I should have.
I was thinking more along the lines of what Deutsch was talking about as far as how the world (weather, winds, temp, etc.) works.
I wasn't thinking about miracles. Obviously yes those are at odds with science if you dont believe that God is a God of science.
ambush80
Senior Member
No I don't. I think they really happened.
That said, thanks for the answer and I wasn't really thinking in this vein when I asked the question although I should have.
I was thinking more along the lines of what Deutsch was talking about as far as how the world (weather, winds, temp, etc.) works.
I wasn't thinking about miracles. Obviously yes those are at odds with science if you don't believe that God is a God of science.
We are thinking of it in the same way and so is Deutsch.
