Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
4 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,817 Year: 3,074/9,624 Month: 919/1,588 Week: 102/223 Day: 0/13 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Does science ask and answer "why" questions?
nwr
Member
Posts: 6408
From: Geneva, Illinois
Joined: 08-08-2005
Member Rating: 5.1


(1)
Message 7 of 353 (646953)
01-07-2012 12:53 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by New Cat's Eye
01-07-2012 11:12 AM


New Cat's Eye writes:
Its the proper usage in the context of this:
quote:
"Science answers the "how" questions and religion answers the "why" questions."
That statement is fair enough as a slogan. But we really ought to be able to distinguish between slogan and fact.

Jesus was a liberal hippie

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by New Cat's Eye, posted 01-07-2012 11:12 AM New Cat's Eye has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 10 by bluegenes, posted 01-07-2012 1:34 PM nwr has seen this message but not replied

  
nwr
Member
Posts: 6408
From: Geneva, Illinois
Joined: 08-08-2005
Member Rating: 5.1


Message 23 of 353 (647047)
01-07-2012 9:11 PM
Reply to: Message 15 by kbertsche
01-07-2012 6:48 PM


I would argue that the physical sciences do not address purpose. Even an MRI (or PET scan) only addresses mechanism, not purpose.
Yet an MRI scan is done for a purpose.
If I go to the store to purchase some eggs, then I went to the store for a purpose.
"Purpose" by itself is not a problem. It is how we use that term. We need to distinguish between local or short term purposes, say an bird catching a fish for the purpose of feeding itself, and a long term or ultimate purpose (why birds exist in the first place). Biologists tend to prefer the term "teleonomy" for such local or short term purposes, and they try to avoid using teleology which would presumably be applicable to ultimate purposes. It would be difficult to discuss biology without "teleonomy."

Jesus was a liberal hippie

This message is a reply to:
 Message 15 by kbertsche, posted 01-07-2012 6:48 PM kbertsche has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024