Talk:Philosophy

From Philosophy and Science of Language

PARR: The question could be put, if science must maintain connection to ordinary experience and expression, how about the different philosophies. Einstein in "Remarks on Bertrand Russell's Theory of Knowledge," in Ideas and Opinions, page 23, says: "For all thought acquires material content only through its relation with that sensory material. This latter proposition I take to be entirely true; but I hold the prescription for thinking which is grounded on this proposition to be false. For this claim----if only carried through consistently----absolutely excludes thinking of any kind as "metaphysical".

In order that thinking might not degenerate into "metaphysics," or into empty talk, it is only necessary that enough propositions of the conceptual system be firmly enough connected with sensory experiences and that the conceptional system, in view of its task of ordering and surveying sense experience, should show as much unity and parsimony as possible. Beyond that, however, the "system" is (as regards logic) a free play with symbols according to (logically) arbitary given rules of the game."

Certainly, one can divide science and philosophy by giving them separate areas to investigate. The question must be asked, if science is required to have ties, even if remote, to everyday experience and expression, however specialized the vocabulary of certain areas of science, are there kinds of philosophy where we do not require of philosophy what we require of science. Of course, the answer must be yes. But it will only confuse philosophical discussions if we are not aware of the requirements of one or another kind of philosophy that we are talking about.