Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 64 (9164 total)
2 online now:
Newest Member: ChatGPT
Post Volume: Total: 916,749 Year: 4,006/9,624 Month: 877/974 Week: 204/286 Day: 11/109 Hour: 0/2


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Mlodinow & Hawking on Model-Dependent Realism
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 310 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


Message 6 of 72 (588540)
10-26-2010 1:44 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Stephen Push
10-25-2010 7:59 PM


Their example of creationism is not actually an example of their philosophy. They write:
If two such physical theories or models accurately predict the same events, one cannot be said to be more real than the other; rather, we are free to use whichever model is more convenient.
Now, the predictions of creationism are flatly false.
The only way one can even attempt to square creationism with observation is through omphalism --- but that makes no actual predictions, it just runs to keep up.
The nicest thing I can think is that they're using "creationism" in a private and technical sense --- for example, if all they mean by it is the hypothesis that God made the Big Bang go bang.
Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Stephen Push, posted 10-25-2010 7:59 PM Stephen Push has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 9 by Stephen Push, posted 10-26-2010 3:58 PM Dr Adequate has replied

  
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 310 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


Message 13 of 72 (588579)
10-26-2010 5:00 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Stephen Push
10-26-2010 3:58 PM


No, they clearly state that they believe the big bang theory is no more real than the account of creation in Genesis. But as you point out, in the first quote they seem to say that two models must have equal predictive power to be equivalent.
Then I would suggest that they leave the philosophy of science to people who are good at it.
* coughs modestly, points repeatedly at self *
And I'll leave them to do the physics.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by Stephen Push, posted 10-26-2010 3:58 PM Stephen Push 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