Re: Signs of Scientism

Moorad,
There is a great difference between describing and naming, which
physicists do, and explaining and understanding. Physicists are not
foolish when they engage in their field, but it is foolish to ascribe to
them what they do not do as physicists. Of course, there is nothing to
prevent a physicist from asking ultimate questions as a human being.
Dave

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:17:48 -0500 "Alexanian, Moorad"
<alexanian@uncw.edu> writes:
I beg you to tell me how physicists characterize the elementary particles
they constantly talk about. Are they fools when they claim that their
(physical) detectors have detected a photon, an electron, etc.
 
Moorad

From: Keith Miller
Sent: Mon 1/16/2006 7:28 PM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Re: Signs of Scientism

> It is truly difficult to characterize life in purely physical terms.
> It may be that only life can beget life.
>
> Moorad

NOTHING can fully be understood in purely physical terms. That is why
there is more to reality than science can address or investigate.
Science is a limited way of knowing. Much confusion has been created
by people talking as though science is the arbiter of all truth, and
that all reality must be subject to scientific test and confirmation.
It seems to me that this is not only what people like Dawkins and
Provine would have us believe, but also many ID supporters. They both
give much too much power to science.

Science can potentially address our questions regarding the history and
natural mechanisms of the physical universe (including the sequence of
events leading to the origin of the first self-replicating biological
organisms), but that is all.

Keith

Keith B. Miller
Research Assistant Professor
Dept of Geology, Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506-3201
785-532-2250
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~kbmill/
Received on Mon Jan 16 23:31:16 2006