More about Conception Intuitions

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Todd Gastaldo wrote:
wrote in message
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Gathering anecdotes is step one in doing a good study.

No, gathering data is step one. Gathering anecdotes might be step
zero, if it leads you to formulate a testable hypothesis. :-)

Yep - that is what I was getting at - but gathering POWERFUL
anecdotes
reportedly helps to refute hypotheses.

Sure, because it only takes one counterexample to throw a theory
into
question. But theories are never *established* on the basis of
anecdotes. Hypotheses, yes. Theories, no.

Throwing theories into question is an ongoing Step One (or Step Zero)
of
science.

Absolutely.

big snip

Using intuition as a way to evaluate claims went out with
Descartes.


Just now I found this (perhaps erroneous?) passage from one fellow's
PhD
competency exam (he passed)...

"Descartes seems to take for granted his intuition. So we can
reproduce the
large part of Cartesian skepticism on Neurath's boat. Devitt argues
that
since Cartesian skepticism is an unanswerable problematic, it is just
uninteresting. But such an evaluation depends on what we accept as an
answer. Devitt seems to think that instantaneous solipsism is
unacceptable,
but if the Cartesian skepticism really is an important question and
the sole
answer is the instantaneous solipsism, maybe what we should do is to
find a
way to go along with the instantaneous solipsism. Devitt does not
provide
any convincing argument to refuse this line of argument. Therefore I
think
that naturalized epistemology also fails to reject the skeptical
doubt."

http://www.info.human.nagoya-u.ac.jp...ield_exam.html

What this guy is saying is that there may not be a way of defeating
Descartes' skeptical arguments using naturalistic epistemology. I am
not necessarily agreeing with that claim, but even if it's true, I
would say that if you are going to take Cartesian skepticism seriously
as a practical guide to what to believe about reality, you have to take
it seriously *all the time*.


Hey WAIT a minute!

I never said it's a GUIDE for me!

I said that Step Minus One of Science is the assumption that it isn't true!

At least that's what I THINK I said (therefore I am I said - LOL).

That means you have to admit that you don't know anything delivered by
the senses, which includes believing things like both a) well-confirmed
scientific theories like quantum mechanics and b) in the location of
your car keys -- much less anything having to do with the paranormal.
If you really think it's reasonable to treat all those things as on an
epistemological par, then go ahead...


I can't even PRONOUNCE "epistemological par"!

Descartes' evil demon could just as easily trick you about your
conception intuitions

I am late this month - but I don't remember any unprotected sex - or any
intutions for that matter. : )

as he could about your sensations (whether or not
you're seeing the color blue right now and so forth.)

I just read where blue is the color of the line that shows up on at least
one pregnancy test. : )

Todd


--
C, mama to two year old nursling