Re: virus: Logic

chardin (chardin@uabid.dom.uab.edu)
Mon, 6 Oct 1997 15:11:30 CST+6CDT

This seems like a good time for me to jump in and introduce myself.
I've been reading the postings for a day or so, trying to understand
the direction of the dicussions. I was attracted to a description of
your list which I took to be a discussion of beliefs vs. reality.
Also, I recently read the article by Richard Dawkins "Viruses of the
Mind" the gist of which--I will say up front-- I disagree. I suspected that the "virus" you
all were discussing might be one and the same, though I am still not
sure. It seems that I have been eavesdropping on a family feud, but
I guess that is the way most lists are. If you mean, like Dawkins, a
person suffers from a virus if he has some sort of religious belief
(manifestation of the virus) and you refer to that as "illogical"
then perhaps I understand what you mean. Otherwise, I would
appreciate it if you would kindly inform me.

I enjoy a good debate and am especially interested in beliefs vs.
reality and "how we know what we know." Also, while I think the
scienifitic method is good, I feel that science and scientists have
become the new "religion" and priests of our age. Do you think I can find a
place to vent and exchange ideas on this site or am I way out in left
field? If I understand correctly, one does not have to be
a professional philosopher to partake in these discussions. Cathy Hardin

> Date: Mon, 06 Oct 1997 09:52:31 -0600
> To: virus@lucifer.com
> From: David McFadzean <david@kumo.com>
> Subject: virus: Logic
> Reply-to: virus@lucifer.com

> The MS Weapon thread has raised some important questions around the
> role of logic. Is it "just" a tool? What is its scope and limits?
> Do we need means outside of logic to determine when it is appropriate
> to use it? Can a logical argument say anything about reality, or is
> it (as one contributor put it recently) just "smoke and mirrors"?
> I have a few ideas, but I'd like to hear from others first.
>
> --
> David McFadzean david@kumo.com
> Memetic Engineer http://www.kumo.com/~david/
> Kumo Software Corp. http://www.kumo.com
>