Hello,
I think this disagreement on whether physics is the grand-daddy of sciences
or not and where the others fit in is heavily biased by the presuppositions
and values of the disciplines which you have been trained in. The object of
study in the different sciences are different, and their methodologies
should obviously be different. One cannot study animal or human behavior the
way one studies subatomic particles, unless one is an ultrareductionist.
Trying to explain the workings so the human brain in terms of the
interaction between subatomic particles offers little to none useful
knowledge. I suggest we recognize that each scientific discipline represents
our best human efforts to understand and explain that level of inquiry in a
way that makes sense to us, be it particles and energy, molecules, living
systems and subsystems, ecological systems, human psychology, social and
political systems etc. And I would further suggest that progress in one
discipline has benefited other disciplines as well e.g. discoveries in
astronomy has given new directions of research in physics, statistical
developments by social scientists have been borrowed by biologists and
medical scientists, advancement in genetic research has benefited the
neurosciences and psychology greatly and so forth. Given this state of
affairs, I think it is difficult and probably not very fruitful to be
arguing for the superiority of one science over another.
Respectfully,
Adrian.
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