As biologically and culturally evolved beings, humans seem to have certain epistemological proclivities. Perhaps asking "why questions" is one of these proclivities. Perhaps sometimes asking "why questions" is nonsensical. Tantamount to asking for a square circle.
I was thinking about infinite regression of explanations. People always end up asking why instead of how. What makes us think there is a why? The human search for meaning? Perhaps there is ultimately none. This might be the case even if it is unsatisfactory.
The search continues.
About Me
- Steven
- "It is not what the man of science believes that distinguishes him, but how and why he believes it. His beliefs are tentative, not dogmatic; they are based on evidence, not on authority or intuition." -Bertrand Russell(1872-1970)
Blog Roll
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Trump World7 years ago
-
-
Announcing INSIGHT at Skeptic.com10 years ago
-
So long, and thanks for all the fish10 years ago
-
Speculating about the Future of Google+11 years ago
-
Moving Just A Click Away12 years ago
-
Thank you12 years ago
-
Young Earth Creationism Is a Pain15 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
3 comments:
Exactly! Instead why not ask, "why not?"
Your blog intrigues me more that you will ever know. I love that we humans are on two sides...those that know that they are right, and the rest who are sure that they are right.
Often one needs not to be the one with the information, but the one that sits on the sidelines and watches the opponent crash and burn with at first intelligent concise debate, then to mediocre name calling.
So I join you on this quest...how?
Jennifer
Personally, I dont see a why in terms of a higher meaning. I find it telling that theists get emotional about this, rather than discuss it. I think it centres around the vain need to feel special
This is an interesting observation because this is exactly how logic operates. A-priori reasoning is constructive. In other words, it tells us what is possible and the steps that are taken to get there. A - posteriori reasoning, logic pertaining to experiences, is analytic. As Lord Russell stated, logic tells us what the world may be but it doesn't legislate what is :)
Post a Comment