Dear Struan,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Please do expand, preferably on the list. I do think "other"
metaphysics than MoQ should be discussed here too, so that we can
get more clarity about what is required of a metaphysics, what
options there are and ... whether we are not assuming a bit too
easily that the only options are SOM or MoQ and that these are
mutually exclusive.
I would understand and accept if you don't like the
non-constructive reactions to what you write and prefer to expand
off-list. But maybe it would be an interesting challenge for you
to try and write on-list in a way that doesn't lead to
non-constructive reactions?
As a first reaction to your P.P.S. of 8/12 8:21 +0000:
- You are right (I think) in a sense that metaphysics is all
about questions. Answers don't seem to be very provable at least.
To the extent that it is necessary to give answers, they should
be considered provisional.
On the other hand you need a metaphysics as a foundation for a
"physics". Even if you can't give final answers to metaphysical
questions, analysis of your answers to other questions might show
that they presuppose answers to metaphysical questions.
- My first (provisional) reaction to your interpretation of
metaphysics as asking (only?!) the question 'What does it mean to
be?' and -derived from that- 'Why is there anything rather than
nothing?' would be:
Is that really all there is to metaphysics? Don't we need more
"unprovables" as foundation for other systems of ideas?
Your questions more or less cover my 'What can we know?'. Don't
we also need (provisional) answers to the questions 'How can we
know?' and 'How can we know what we should do?' to found our
other systems of ideas?
- Will the subject of your book be 'metaphysics' or some related
subject containing this one?
- As for Pirsig's taxonomy (his classification of static patterns
of value in inorganic, biological, social and intellectual): I
hesitate to call this a part of the MoQ. According to my MoQ it
might more properly be a provisional application, a testable
system of ideas (to be) founded on both MoQ and experience of
value.
With friendly greetings,
Wim
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