Re: virus: Re:If your so smart why arn't you rich?
Nathaniel Hall (natehall@lgcy.com)
Sun, 14 Sep 1997 15:40:50 -0600
D.H.Rosdeitcher wrote:
>
> Nate wrote:
> I wrote:
> >> Do people with the meme "existence exists" in their heads, have
> >> advantages (ie. financial,social) over people without that meme in their
> >> heads?
>
> > This question is more difficult than it seems. People often do things
> >without themselves really know why they are doing it. For example for
> >all the people who are attacking the validity of the senses do they
> >really LIVE by that belief?
>
> Is anyone around here attacking the validity of the senses? You might be
> jumping to a conclusion that if I attack Objectivism, I attack the use of
> the senses.
>
> >When such an individual attempts to cross a
> >busy street do they say: Oh I can just ignore that oncoming truck and
> >walk right out into the street because I know that my senses are just
> >fooling me! , or ,do they instead look both ways, make sure the coast is
> >clear and then TRUSTING THIER SENSES walk to the other side of the
> >street? I say because they are still alive they are LIVING what I've
> >been saying even if the whole time they have been arguing againest it!
>
> Whether as kids we learn by first forming theories and checking them out,
> or by making generalizations after seeing examples of things, we have this
> model which helps us survive, for the most part. But, as a way of learning
> about things the scientific method of forming and testing a theory is
> superior to the inductive method of jumping to conclusions. When you
> advocate the inductive method used in objectivism, you're only justifying
> the use of a remnant of our preconscious animal minds which works to keep
> species alive but not help us in terms of making scientific progress.
> ---David R.
Folks around here keep crediting me with a particular thought process.
If by using Inductive reasoning or deductive reasoning I happen to
stumble on the way things really are (absolute truth) then did it matter
how I got there? In such a case both methods did the job for you. I'd
say when both techniques give you the same answer you've got yourself a
winner!
The Nateman