week two

Week 2
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy? 

By definition, philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. That is saying that seeking the truth of the universe is also part of the study of philosophy. In order to differentiate the appearance and the truth behind the veil, often time, philosopher need to applied physics, which is the ground of our understanding of the universe, to their logical thinking. Along the time, the mean we study the subject of physics align with our approaches to truth. However, the discovery of quantum mechanics challenges the way we seek the truth. We are now told whether or not we make the observation alter the experimental result, which is saying that when we observe the objects, this very action makes an influence on how the objects behavior. The validity of what we see and the pattern we conclude based on the observation are challenged. What we see, named Phenomena, "which constitute the our experience" and the truth, named noumena, "which are the (presumed) things themselves" are not necessary the same (Quantum weirdness 31). All the achievements on science, which are examined by our observation, "apply only to the phenomenal realm, not the noumenal" (Quantum weirdness 31). That also means "we don't unlock nature pure and pristine, but as nature reacts to our measuring devices" (Quantum weirdness 31). We may question that whether we are "the prisoners in Plato's allegory of the cave" as we cannot tell the difference between what we see and what the truth really is (Quantum weirdness 34). This dilemma in science realm also put philosopher into confusion. As Bohr said, "it is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how Nature is. Physics concerns what we say about Nature” (Quantum weirdness 34). Is it still right that the way we explore about the truth? Only when we have a better understanding of physics and the general rules of the universe, can we make a better shoot on what the truth may be.


2. What is eliminative materialism? 

On our way to the understanding of the nature, we don't usually go directly to the point. At the time we observed some phenomena that we cannot explain using the knowledge of one subject, we turned to another one. But if we still could give them a good explanation based on our knowledge, we tended to link that to our religion consciousness. However, when we make advance on the subject of science and we have a better understanding of the phenomena, we replace "the old and outdated concept of the part with the new and more accurate terminology, which reflects our new understanding of our body and universe at large" (Eliminative materialism, part two). By doing that, " We eliminated god and spirits in favor of more precise and accurate physiological explanation, hence the eliminative materialism" (Eliminative materialism, part three). Even though we made good progress on the understanding of the nature, to ourselves, we still do not know our emotions very well. As it was said in the video, " the words we use to describe our motivation emerged from religion consciousness rather than the understanding of neurology" (Eliminative materialism, part three).

about an hour ago jessica1822 said:

Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy? 

        I believe that understanding physics and the general rules of the universe are important in doing philosophy because the coincide with one another. Physics is the understanding of nature/ universe and how matter moves through space and time. Having a better understating of the general rules of the universe and how it works is the starting point of philosophy. In the reading quantum theory it was stated that " whenever a man has altered his bodily or cranial limits he has extended his world". What I took from this was that most of us have a limit into which our minds will expand or question things as they are or can be. In that particular sentence it points out that we have the ability to "extend our world". In that the study of both philosophy and physics allow our minds to alter our limits. 


2. What is eliminating materialism? Provide the examples. 

        Eliminating materialism is the process of elimination in explanations of phenomenons or happenings. Most scientists believed that the most promising way to tackle the subject of consciousness it through eliminative materialism. One example of eliminative materialism is portrayed in part two, they explain how they turned from believing in Thor, ( the god of thunder) to electromagnetic fields that studied it through waves. Another is the elimination of inexplicable phenomenon to help us better understand things and the way they work. Lastly they go through a process in which they test through mathematics if the findings cannot be concluded they then turn to physics,chemistry,biology,psychology,and then sociology ;if through that process of elimination they do not come to a definitive answer they then say "God did it" 

I agreed on your point that "both philosophy and physics allow our minds to alter our limits" and they have "the coincide with one another'. Indeed, before human beings ever advance in physics, philosophy provided people a general guideline on the exploration of the universe and the truth. When people learn more and more about the universe and form physics, still, philosophy works as a criteria how we should view the discovery we found. Just like the dilemma we face in quantum physics, it brought us back to the question of philosophy, but at the same time, it also alternate our way of viewing things philosophically.