A View of the World Based on Science: Determinism

Transcript:A View of the World Based on Science: Determinism:
A View of the World Based on Science: Determinism By Kevin Padden and Jake Kildoo An Overview Traditionally, science claims that it can explain all of nature. Need to make the world seem understandable. Science replacing religion. This worldview is often characterized as philosophically materialistic—monism vs. dualism. These all characterize a deterministic outlook. Historical Origins of Determinism Ionian Philosophers First to put anthropomorphism to rout Materialism—all substances derived from a single substrate (often the 4 elements). Thales (c. 624-c. 546 B.C.) Water composes all matter Based this claim off of the importance of moisture in organisms’ lives Introduced abstract geometry into Greek thinking Historical Origins (contd.) Heraclitus (c. 540-c. 480 B.C.) Fire composes all matter Called fire the “Logos” The universe is like a flowing river controlled by the Logos Anaxamenes (c. 585-c. 528 B.C.) Air composes all matter Justified this by noting air’s ability to change density Xenophanes (not in Kushing) (c. 570-c. 475 B.C.) Earth composes all matter Anaxagoras (c. 500-c. 428 B.C.) Did not believe that properties such as life, sentience and intelligence can be explained in terms of the 4 elements Claimed that there are “seeds” that compose all material substance A strange prelude to Aristotelian natural philosophy. Historical Origins (contd.) Anaximander (c. 610-c. 546 B.C.) The universe is infinite in extension and duration The first known philosopher to suggest the geocentric model The “indefinite” composes all matter Did not like that other philosophers used the 4 elements (because they have completely opposing qualities) The primary matter must be quality-less The last of the Ionian philosophers that we discuss in this presentation Democritus (c. 460-c. 370) and Leucippus (fl. c. 450 B.C.) First among the Atomists Atoms compose all matter and are indivisible, eternal and imperishable. Historical Origins (contd.) Pythagoras (c. 570-c. 495 B.C.) Wanted to use numbers and mathematics as the “fundamental entity for understanding the universe” (Kushing, p. 165). Ex. Tetratics Not a materialistic worldview—all things composed of form, not matter (“all is number”). William of Ockham (c. 1288- c. 1348) Scholastic philosopher Founded the nominalistic view of universals Ockham’s razor (exemplified perfectly by Copernicus’ objection to Ptolemy’s equants) Historical Origins (contd.) Francis Bacon (1561-1626) Sense data more important than preconceived theoretical constructs Dislikes the a priori Leibniz (1646-1716) God acts according to the principle of “sufficient reasoning” Nothing exists which is unnecessary Nature acts according to a principle of economy Historical Origins (contd.)