Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Why?

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.

3 comments:

Pen of Jen said...

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

Billy said...

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

Doubt Truth to be a Liar said...

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 :)