RE: Objectivity (RE: MD Individuality)

From: Jonathan B. Marder (jonathan.marder@newmail.net)
Date: Sun Nov 17 2002 - 07:02:06 GMT

  • Next message: Patrick van den Berg: "Re: MD Individuality"

    Hi Rick, Horse, Platt, Sam, Wim, Marco and all,

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    HORSE
    And a conclusion is another name for a judgement!

    RICK
    Sure. But under Jon's theory, "observation" is also a synonym for
    "judgment" (since "judgment" = "conclusion" and "conclusion" =
    "everything").
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    JONATHAN
    I like it! I think by using the word "judgement", Horse was alluding to
    (evaluation of) quality (right Horse?).

    If that is so, Rick boils it down to Quality = Everything. How very
    Pirsigian!!!
     

    PLATT (to Jonathan)
    By definition and common understanding, an instrument is a mechanical
    device. Only a biologist (and a liberal politician) would associate a
    human
    being with something mechanical. :-) I think your view is quite a
    stretch
    of the meaning of "instrument."

    It is a deliberate stretch, because the devices used as detection aids
    are all red herrings in the context of the discussion. What one sees
    with the naked eye is intrinsically just as valid as what one sees
    through a telescope or through a computer visualization. One can be
    misled into false conclusions in all three cases.

    I repeat what I said before, scientific objectivity is really just
    reproducibility. If enough people agree with the conclusion, it is
    considered "objective fact" (like the "fact" that the earth orbits the
    sun). Until it is accepted, it is considered conjecture (subjective), or
    even worse, heresy.

    Jonathan

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