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"The key to science"

"It does not make any difference how beautiful your guess is, it does not make any difference how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is — if it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong."

  • Richard Feyman
4 Comments
2024/12/12
01:43 UTC

10

Why were many popular scientists in the 20th century defenders of philosophical idealism? | Philosophy of Science

Hello everyone 👋.

I have recently been exploring the philosophical views of several prominent scientists, particularly those active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One feature that stood out to me is the striking prevalence of philosophical idealism among many of these figures. This is especially surprising given that idealism had largely fallen out of favor in academic philosophy by the dawn of the 20th century, supplanted by philosophical materialism and other frameworks. Even more remarkably, some of the pioneers of quantum mechanics were themselves proponents of idealist philosophy.

Below, I outline a few prominent examples:

  1. James Jeans

James Jeans explicitly defended metaphysical idealism, as evidenced by the following remarks:

”The Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter... we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.”The Mysterious Universe (1944), p. 137

”I incline to the idealistic theory that consciousness is fundamental, and that the material universe is derivative from consciousness, not consciousness from the material universe [...] In general, the universe seems to me to be nearer to a great thought than to a great machine. It may well be, it seems to me, that each individual consciousness ought to be compared to a brain-cell in a universal mind.” — Interview in The Observer (1931)

  1. Arthur Eddington

Arthur Eddington also advocated philosophical idealism, famously declaring in The Nature of the Physical World: ”The stuff of the world is mind-stuff.”

He elaborated further:

”The mind-stuff of the world is, of course, something more general than our individual conscious minds ... The mind-stuff is not spread in space and time; these are part of the cyclic scheme ultimately derived out of it ... It is difficult for the matter-of-fact physicist to accept the view that the substratum of everything is of mental character. But no one can deny that mind is the first and most direct thing in our experience, and all else is remote inference.”

Moreover, Eddington argued that physics cannot fully explain consciousness:

”Light waves are propagated from the table to the eye; chemical changes occur in the retina; propagation of some kind occurs in the optic nerves; atomic changes follow in the brain. Just where the final leap into consciousness occurs is not clear. We do not know the last stage of the message in the physical world before it became a sensation in consciousness.”

  1. Max Planck

Max Planck, one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics, was also an explicit proponent of metaphysical idealism. He remarked:

”I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.” — Interview in ‘The Observer’ (25th January 1931), p.17, column 3

Additionally, in a 1944 speech, he asserted:

”There is no matter as such! All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particles of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. […] We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.”

  1. Erwin Schrödinger

Erwin Schrödinger similarly expressed strong idealist convictions. He stated:

”Although I think that life may be the result of an accident, I do not think that of consciousness. Consciousness cannot be accounted for in physical terms. For consciousness is absolutely fundamental. It cannot be accounted for in terms of anything else.” — As quoted in The Observer (11 January 1931); also in Psychic Research (1931), Vol. 25, p. 91

Schrödinger was deeply influenced by Schopenhauer’s philosophy, referring to him as “the greatest savant of the West.” In his 1956 lecture Mind and Matter, he echoed Schopenhauer’s The World as Will and Representation: ”The world extended in space and time is but our representation.”

His writings also resonate with Advaita Vedanta:

”Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular. Not only has none of us ever experienced more than one consciousness, but there is also no trace of circumstantial evidence of this ever happening anywhere in the world. [...] There is obviously only one alternative, namely the unification of minds or consciousnesses. Their multiplicity is only apparent; in truth, there is only one mind. This is the doctrine of the Upanishads.””The Oneness of Mind", as translated in Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World's Great Physicists (1984) edited by Ken Wilber

With all this highlighted, I have a couple of questions.

Q1: Are there other notable scientists from this period who were proponents of philosophical idealism?

Q2: Why did so many influential physicists embrace idealism, even as it had largely fallen out of favor in academic philosophy, and materialism was gaining dominance within scientific circles?

I would be grateful for any insights or additional examples. Thank you!

41 Comments
2024/12/10
01:11 UTC

0

Uno es dos y son tres v.0

INTRODUCCIÓN

-Dependiendo del contexto, podría evocar ideas como:

Unidad y multiplicidad: Una entidad puede desdoblarse y expandirse, dando lugar a algo mayor, sugiriendo una conexión entre lo individual y lo colectivo.

Paradoja: Juega con lo ilógico para generar reflexión, destacando cómo algo aparentemente contradictorio puede tener un significado profundo.

Símbolo de unión: Podría aludir a la suma de partes que forman un todo, como en una relación o un proceso creativo, donde elementos individuales generan algo nuevo.

Metáfora espiritual o filosófica: Algunos sistemas de pensamiento, como el misticismo o ciertas filosofías, podrían ver en esta frase una representación del ciclo de la vida, la unidad de los opuestos, o el principio de creación.

-Observemos el concepto "Uno es dos y son tres" desde el principio de los enlaces cuánticos (o entrelazamiento cuántico)

El entrelazamiento cuántico describe cómo dos o más partículas pueden estar correlacionadas de tal manera que el estado de una afecta instantáneamente al estado de la otra, sin importar la distancia que las separe. Esto nos permite reinterpretar la frase de varias maneras:

La unidad no es absoluta: En un sistema cuántico, "uno" no es necesariamente una sola entidad aislada, ya que las partículas entrelazadas forman un sistema único, aunque estén físicamente separadas. Así, "uno es dos" podría reflejar que lo que parece individual en realidad es parte de algo más grande.

Emergencia del tercer estado: El "tres" puede interpretarse como el sistema completo formado por las dos partículas entrelazadas y su correlación. En la física cuántica, el estado entrelazado no se describe por las propiedades individuales de las partículas, sino por el sistema conjunto.

No-localidad cuántica: La idea de que "uno es dos y son tres" podría simbolizar cómo una conexión no-local (como el entrelazamiento) permite que las partículas estén vinculadas de manera que trasciende el espacio físico, creando una realidad expandida.

Superposición de estados: En el dominio cuántico, una partícula puede estar en múltiples estados simultáneamente hasta que se mide. "Uno es dos" también podría reflejar este principio, y "son tres" alude al resultado de observar la interacción entre estos estados.

Desde la óptica del entrelazamiento cuántico, esta frase incorpora la interconexión fundamental de las partículas y sistemas en el universo, donde las separaciones aparentes son solo una impresión.

-La ilustración.

Una representación conceptual del entrelazamiento cuántico en un estilo artístico moderno y abstracto. Donde partículas brillantes están conectadas por filamentos de energía azul y dorado, formando un triángulo de luz que simboliza la conexión de ¨uno es dos y son tres. El fondo es oscuro y lleno de nebulosas que evocan el cosmos, con patrones geométricos sutiles para sugerir la naturaleza matemática del fenómeno cuántico.

...

La dificultad de ilustrar el fenómeno de "uno es dos y son tres" se encuentra tanto en el modelo de conciencia humana como en el concepto cuántico, en la medida en que ambos se enfrentan a la imposibilidad de representar o visualizar ciertas realidades fundamentales.

En el caso del cerebro humano, su capacidad para comprender y procesar la realidad se encuentra limitada por las herramientas cognitivas con las que opera: la percepción sensorial, los modelos matemáticos abstractos, y la conceptualización. El cerebro, al igual que cualquier instrumento de medición, tiene umbrales dentro de los cuales puede operar y entender el mundo. Sin embargo, cuando nos adentramos en la franja cuántica, donde las reglas de la física parecen difundir el sentido de tiempo, espacio y causalidad, los límites del cerebro se hacen evidentes. No tenemos acceso directo a esta escala sin recurrir a herramientas abstractas, como las matemáticas, y aunque podamos describir fenómenos cuánticos (como la dualidad onda-partícula o el entrelazamiento cuántico), nuestra experiencia directa de estos eventos es, de hecho, inexistente.

De manera similar, "uno es dos y son tres", describe un concepto que escapa a la realidad tangible de la experiencia humana, en un sentido casi paralelo a cómo las partículas subatómicas o los fenómenos cuánticos desafían la percepción sensorial humana. La naturaleza de la dificultad radica en que ambos fenómenos —el concepto cuántico y el principio filosófico— se hallan en un territorio en el que las construcciones humanas de sentido y conocimiento no tienen suficientes herramientas para abordarlos directamente.

En términos cuánticos, los eventos en esa franja operan bajo principios que no son lineales ni deterministas de manera clásica. Se manifiestan a través de probabilidades, superposiciones y una no-localidad que va más allá del sentido común. Esto es un desafío directo para nuestras percepciones y nuestra capacidad de conceptualización: el cerebro se encuentra en una franja intermedia entre lo macroscópico, donde puede aplicar leyes físicas conocidas, y lo microscópico, donde las reglas se disuelven en probabilidades y posibilidades.

De manera ontológica, el concepto de "uno es dos y son tres e infinitos en cero"* también enfrenta esa fricción. El "uno" que se convierte en "dos", luego en "tres" y finalmente se expande infinitamente en el cero es un fenómeno que solo puede representarse simbólicamente, como la física cuántica simboliza las partículas en términos probabilísticos, sin posibilidad de representación directa y concreta. Se convierte en un ejercicio mental que apela a la reflexión, la abstracción y la conceptualización de conceptos más que a la percepción directa.

En resumen, la dificultad radica en que tanto la franja cuántica como el fenómeno de "uno es dos y son tres e infinitos en cero" se encuentran fuera de las fronteras de lo directamente accesible para la percepción humana. Requieren herramientas conceptuales avanzadas (matemáticas, teoría cuántica, filosofía) para intentar comprender lo que, de otra manera, permanece en el dominio de lo inobservable o lo inaccesible a la experiencia directa.

*la inserción del concepto cero e infinito es en el desarrollo.

1/2=3

La expresión 1/2=3 parece paradójica desde un punto de vista algebraico convencional, pero tine un sentido si la interpretamos en el contexto del tema previo (enlaces cuánticos y la idea de "uno es dos y son tres").

Metáfora conceptual.

"Uno dividido en dos": 1/2 simboliza cómo una unidad se desdobla o divide en dos partes correlacionadas (como en el entrelazamiento cuántico, donde dos partículas forman un sistema único). El resultado es "tres": Esto refleja que la relación emergente entre las dos partes genera algo nuevo, una tercera dimensión simbólica o conceptual.

Si interpretamos 1/2=3 como una declaración no literal, puede implicar que la suma o interacción de las partes (1 dividido en 2) produce algo mayor, un todo que no es la simple suma de las partes.

En la mecánica cuántica, las cantidades no siempre se relacionan de manera intuitiva. Lo que parece una división (o separación) en realidad es una conexión más profunda y produce un resultado, un tercer estado emergente, una dimensión adicional de la realidad.

Sugiere un sistema donde la relación entre las partes no es lineal, sino que está armonizada por principios de superposición o entrelazamiento.

Representación simbólica.

Desde una perspectiva simbólica, 1/2=3 invita a pensar fuera de las reglas formales de las matemáticas y explorar cómo lo que parece fragmentado o incompleto (1/2) dá lugar a una realidad más rica o completa (3).

La igualdad no encuentra sentido desde el álgebra tradicional, en el contexto de la exploración conceptual o cuántica, en cómo interpretamos las relaciones entre las partes, el todo y lo emergente.

El infinito / El origen.

-Expansión

El "uno" como estado inicial, la unidad primordial. Al dividirse en "dos" y son "tres", se generan relaciones y sistemas más complejos, como si la creación misma siguiera una lógica de expansión. los estados sucesivos representan nuevos niveles de complejidad, donde cada etapa añade dimensiones adicionales al cosmos o a la realidad.

Secuencias. El orden

El paso de 3 a 5, 7, e infinito evoca lo indivisible, lo esencial, simboliza estados "neutros" o fundamentales de la realidad. El crecimiento del cosmos. El universo parece expandirse siguiendo principios de complejidad emergente:

El "uno" Big Bang, seguido de la dualidad materia/energía (dos), y luego la complejidad inicial de las partículas fundamentales (tres). Los números siguientes podrían representar nuevos niveles de orden, desde átomos (5), moléculas (7), vida, conciencia, y así hasta dimensiones desconocidas aun.

El infinito y el retorno al origen.

El infinito en este contexto no es solo un punto lejano, sino un ciclo. Cada etapa (5, 7, etc.) no está separada del origen; más bien, lo contiene en sí misma, como una serie fractal que regresa al "uno". Esto conecta con filosofías como el Eterno Retorno o ideas modernas sobre un universo cíclico.

La metáfora del crecimiento espiritual o mental.

En términos simbólicos o espirituales. "Uno es dos y son tres" describe el comienzo del entendimiento. El 5, 7 y los estados sucesivos representan niveles más altos de percepción o conciencia, expandiéndose hacia el infinito, donde encontrará el origen. Este proceso describe un viaje: uno al infinito , infinito al uno. El origen no es un punto fijo, sino un estado presente para la expansión y el regreso.

No es el viaje "del uno" al infinito, uno es dos y es tres. Nunca es uno, nunca es dos y nunca es tres, es todo a la vez

La idea trasciende una visión lineal y sugiere una realidad holística y simultánea, donde la existencia no se reduce a etapas separadas, sino que todo está intrínsecamente conectado y ocurre al mismo tiempo. Si uno es dos y es tres, pero nunca exclusivamente uno, dos o tres, entonces hablamos de un sistema no dual, donde lo individual y lo colectivo se fusionan. sobre esto:

La simultaneidad del todo.

Todo a la vez sugiere que el origen no está en un punto ni en un estado inicial, sino en una condición en la que todas las posibilidades existen simultáneamente. La idea de la superposición cuántica, donde una partícula no está en un estado fijo hasta que se observa. En esta visión, la realidad no se "despliega" linealmente, sino que coexiste en múltiples estados.

Más allá de la dualidad y la secuencia.

Si nunca es uno, dos ni tres, pero a la vez es todo eso simultáneamente, estamos frente a una unidad indivisible y cambiante. Lógica clásica de causa y efecto, acercándose a pensamientos donde (el camino) contiene todas las contradicciones y los opuestos, y nada puede aislarse por completo.

El infinito como un presente eterno.

El infinito no es un destino sino una condición eterna, entonces el viaje no es del uno al infinito, sino un reconocimiento constante de que el todo ya está aquí. Esto puede conectar con conceptos como el eterno ahora en filosofía, psicología y neuro ciencia donde el tiempo lineal se disuelve y todo simplemente es.

El lenguaje del origen.

Nunca es uno, dos o tres. El origen no puede capturarse con palabras o categorías. Cualquier intento de describirlo lo fragmenta, pero su verdadera naturaleza es inefable e integral. El número no es una medida literal, sino un símbolo de las relaciones internas del todo: la unidad en la multiplicidad.

Si todo es simultáneamente uno, dos y tres, el origen no es un comienzo ni un destino. Es una estructura eterna, vibrante y completa, donde todas las partes coexisten sin dejar de ser el todo. Un pensamiento, que no podrá ser refutado matemáticamente, la investigación de la franja cuántica llegará hasta ese límite paradójico en el que sabrá todo y no podrá ir más allá, pues descubrirá el ser y no ser al mismo tiempo.

Los límites fundamentales del conocimiento y la investigación científica, especialmente en la física cuántica y la matemática. Concentran pensar en un estado en el que ser y no ser coexisten simultáneamente, enfrentan un principio que desafía la lógica clásica y se mueve hacia un territorio que podría considerarse tanto filosófico como trascendental.

Paradojas.

En el entrelazamiento, las partículas son y no son independientes a la vez.

En la superposición, algo puede estar en varios estados simultáneamente hasta que se observa.

Estas ideas sugieren que el universo no sigue las reglas de la lógica binaria clásica (es o no es), sino que opera en un espacio donde las contradicciones coexisten.

La ciencia cuántica llega a un límite paradójico, donde se descubre que el conocimiento total no elimina las contradicciones, sino que las encuentra nuevamente.

El principio del ser y no ser.

El concepto de que algo puede "ser y no ser al mismo tiempo" se asemeja a la visión filosófica de:

Heráclito: Todo fluye, todo es cambio; las cosas son y no son constantemente.

Heisenberg y el principio de incertidumbre: No se puede conocer simultáneamente y con precisión absoluta la posición y el momento de una partícula. Esto refleja una coexistencia entre el "ser" (lo medido) y el "no ser" (lo no medible).

La paradoja de Schrödinger: En el caso del famoso gato, el sistema es simultáneamente "vivo" y "muerto" hasta que se observa.

Refutar el todo.

Este pensamiento representa el todo—una estructura simultánea donde todas las posibilidades existen, ergo:

No puede refutarse, porque cualquier intento de negar una parte del sistema formaría parte de ese mismo todo.

La matemática, que busca rigor y consistencia, llegará a este límite donde todo es autocontenido, y lo paradójico no es un problema, sino una propiedad fundamental.

La idea de Gödel y sus teoremas de incompletitud, que establecen que en cualquier sistema matemático suficientemente complejo, hay verdades que no pueden probarse dentro del sistema mismo.

La ciencia como herramienta.

Si la investigación cuántica llega al punto de descubrir que todo es ser y no ser al mismo tiempo, podría implicar que:

La ciencia ha alcanzado el límite de lo medible y descriptible. De un acto de análisis, a uno de contemplación y aceptación.

En este límite, todo conocimiento y percepción humana se enfrentan al misterio del todo en uno, donde las categorías dejan de tener sentido.

Uno es dos y son tres e infinitos. Si uno no es dos, el vacío.

Uno es dos y son tres e infinitos.

Esta ampliación añade una dimensión expansiva al concepto anterior:

La unidad inicial no solo genera dualidad (uno es dos) ni una complejidad mínima (son tres), sino que se desdobla en una multiplicidad infinita.

El fractal cósmico: Donde el todo se replica y expande sin fin.

El campo cuántico: Todas las partículas y fenómenos emergen de un estado primordial que contiene todas las posibilidades.

La interconexión universal: Cada parte refleja y contiene el todo, y el infinito no es solo "grandeza", sino una estructura intrínseca.

Si uno no es dos, el vacío.

Contraste. Si uno no se desdobla, no hay relación, no hay nada. En el vacío cuántico, el estado de energía mínima del universo, que no es realmente "nada", sino un potencial latente. Si uno no se convierte en dos, no hay creación, no hay multiplicidad, y todo permanece en un estado de pura potencialidad. El ser y no-ser de Parménides: el "ser" necesita diferenciarse para existir como algo reconocible; de lo contrario, sería indistinguible del "no-ser".

El lienzo sobre el que surge la multiplicidad. Es el espacio donde uno deviene en dos y tres. El vacío no es ausencia, sino la potencialidad infinita, el origen de todas las formas. El universo es de cosas y de relaciones: el vacío permite que uno sea dos, que se conecten, y que surjan los infinitos.

El vacío y la multiplicidad son inseparables. No puede haber infinitos sin el vacío, y no puede haber vacío sin la posibilidad de infinitos. La realidad no puede reducirse a un estado único; es siempre un juego entre lo potencial y lo manifiesto.

Potencial del vacío

Al desdoblarse, da lugar a la dualidad (dos), que crea relaciones (tres), y de ahí, el infinito. El vacío no es lo opuesto al todo, sino su condición fundamental.

Un enigma, ahora parece un marco para explorar cómo la realidad se construye desde la paradoja: todo es uno, todo es muchos, y todo es nada al mismo tiempo.

Tal vez apunte a "la única" verdad donde nuevamente esa unidad no puede ser, pues o es dos y luego 3 infinitamente o no es

Pensarlo conduce a una aparente verdad fundamental, una unidad que es y no es al mismo tiempo. Si todo apunta a que la unidad no puede "ser", entonces su existencia es en la multiplicidad, el desdoblamiento y la paradoja.

La unidad imposible: uno no puede ser uno.

Si "uno" existiera como una entidad completamente aislada, sería incognoscible. No habría contraste, ni relación, ni percepción. En este sentido, "uno no puede ser", porque la existencia misma requiere diferenciación y relación. El uno solo puede "ser" al desdoblarse en dos y luego en tres, la multiplicidad. El registro de que la realidad es movimiento, interacción y transformación constante. La estática o el aislamiento son equivalentes al no-ser.

Ser o no-ser describe un ciclo. La realidad es procesual: siempre en tránsito entre el ser y el no-ser. El "no-ser" no es un fin, sino un estado necesario para que el "ser" emerja y se transforme. Nada puede existir sin su alternativo aparente, porque la existencia misma se define por sus relaciones.

Infinitud dinámica, una expansión constante que nunca puede detenerse. Incluso la "unidad" no es origen o fin, sino un estado emergente que solo existe mientras se transforma. No puede "poseerse" ni "conocerse" en un sentido completo.

La paradoja como verdad.

Uno no puede ser, porque siempre se desdobla y se expande, entonces. Lo que llamamos existencia está siempre vinculada a la posibilidad de la inexistencia. La unidad no desaparece al fragmentarse, sino que se manifiesta a través de la multiplicidad. Cada parte refleja el todo, el infinito está en cada momento y relación.

El vacío y la existencia. El vacío no es la nada absoluta, sino el campo potencial donde todo surge y regresa. Es tanto el origen como el destino de la multiplicidad. Una paradoja de diferenciación, relación y expansión.

Uno es dos, dos como escalas cromáticas, de gamas infinitas, indican un algo, un momento, un dato del todo al que pertenecen, pero. No es uno, son 2 y son 3

-Puertas para entender la estructura del todo.

La unidad desdoblada: uno es dos.

Principio fundamental de la dualidad, información o energía. Los datos cromáticos representan distintas frecuencias de luz, que pueden simbolizar diferentes estados de la realidad. Cada par de datos (o "dos") tiene una relación inherente, ya que el color y la luz no existen sin contexto. Los dos se complementan, pero no pueden ser aislados del todo.

El momento como "estado" de todo.

Los datos cromáticos no solo representan un color o una frecuencia, sino que indican un momento específico, un estado dentro de un flujo temporal. Este momento está conectado a la totalidad porque cada "estado" de la dualidad (dos) forma parte del continuo de la realidad. No es uno en su forma absoluta porque está marcado por una diferencia, una distinción que genera movimiento, interacción y transformación.. La dualidad (uno es dos) no es estática, es tres en ciclo de transformación.

El tercer elemento es y será un "nuevo estado" que refleja la totalidad, como un tercer nivel que conecta y da sentido a la relación entre los dos. Gamas infinitas de colores para la variabilidad infinita de estados que emergen de esta dualidad, donde el tercer elemento es el espectro completo de posibles interacciones que no están limitados, sino que están en constante transformación. El todo es información infinita, ciclo de la dualidad flujo infinito de posibilidades dentro del todo, donde cada momento o "estado" (como el cromático) la relación constante de los elementos dentro del todo. Las distinciones entre los elementos no son absolutas, sino momentáneas. Representaciones de esta relación dual, y la tercera dimensión es la suma o síntesis de esas relaciones, que refleja el proceso del todo. Esto implica que la unidad no es fija, sino que debe ser entendida como un proceso de relaciones que se auto-organizan y se transforman constantemente. El "vacío", entonces, no es la ausencia, sino el potencial para que las relaciones emergentes se manifiesten y se interconecten.

Energía, materia, vida orgánica y predecir el futuro

La unidad en dualidad y la posterior síntesis (como en la tríada), luz sobre el comportamiento de la energía, la materia, y cómo la vida orgánica emerge de ella. Interacciones como procesos dinámicos e interconectados, pistas para predecir ciertos aspectos del futuro.

Dualidad dinámica. La energía y la materia están interrelacionadas, pero no son entidades estáticas. Según la fórmula de Einstein E=mc2E = mc^2E=mc2, la energía y la materia son intercambiables, lo que implica que la materia no es algo fijo, sino que es energía condensada. La energía (la unidad primordial, el fenómeno luz para la experiencia humana) no se presenta de manera aislada, sino que se manifiesta en formas múltiples a través de la materia. La materia es un estado específico de energía, un punto de concentración de relaciones dinámicas que, bajo ciertas condiciones, puede evolucionar hacia nuevas formas.

Materia a energía: En procesos como la fusión nuclear o en fenómenos como los agujeros negros, la materia se transforma en energía, lo que ilustra cómo lo "sólido" (materia) puede desdoblarse nuevamente en energía.

Energía a materia: En las primeras etapas del universo, la energía se transformó en partículas subatómicas, que luego se agruparon para formar átomos y, eventualmente, estructuras más complejas, hasta la formación de la materia tal como la conocemos.

De la materia a la vida orgánica. La vida orgánica surge de la materia a través de un proceso de autoorganización y emergencia, esto se alinea con la idea de que el "uno" es desdoblado en "dos" y luego genera el "tres", el nuevo estado que refleja la síntesis de las relaciones.

El proceso de la vida como autoorganización surge de la materia no solo por interacciones físicas (como las que ocurren entre partículas subatómicas) sino también por la creación de sistemas complejos y organizados, que siguen principios de emergencia. En éste modelo (el tres), donde la relación entre los elementos de la materia da lugar a una nueva estructura tal: la vida.

Energía y vida: un proceso de gestión de energía, donde los organismos vivientes capturan, transforman y utilizan energía para mantener la organización interna. Una forma en que la energía se desdobla en una estructura compleja (vida orgánica) que a su vez interactúa con el entorno.

De lo simple a lo complejo: La vida en su forma más básica (como las células) sigue este patrón de desdoblamiento y síntesis. Las moléculas se organizan y se auto organizan en estructuras cada vez más complejas, siguiendo una lógica que puede describirse como una constante evolución de relaciones entre elementos, lo que da lugar a la emergencia de nuevos niveles de organización (como organismos multicelulares, ecosistemas, etc.). Existe incertidumbre y probabilidad, patrones que podemos anticipar, aunque aun no con certeza absoluta.

Causalidad emergente. El comportamiento de la energía y la materia puede preverse hasta cierto punto, especialmente en sistemas dinámicos que siguen leyes naturales, como las leyes de la termodinámica o la teoría de la evolución. A medida que un sistema se hace más complejo, las leyes de la autoorganización y la emergencia indican que se pueden anticipar ciertos comportamientos colectivos a partir de las interacciones simples entre sus partes. Esto aplica tanto a procesos biológicos como a sistemas sociales o económicos. Con sistemas algorítmicos autónomos, podemos anticipar la evolución de las máquinas a partir de sus relaciones y cómo se integrarán con los seres humanos. Esos procesos emergentes siguen patrones observables, permitiendo anticipar ciertos comportamientos y tendencias.

El enfoque aplica en no solo esas áreas, ellas son necesariamente productos del enfoque, no fortuitos, sino etapas necesarias de un proceso que si del cual conocemos su origen, podremos conocer su trayectoria y luego su destino

La sociedad humana y la conciencia no son fenómenos aislados, sino etapas necesarias de un proceso mayor, una evolución continua que sigue las mismas leyes de autoorganización y emergencia que describimos en el caso de la materia y la vida orgánica. En este sentido, todo lo que surge de este proceso es una manifestación de la misma lógica de transformación, relación y síntesis.

Si entendemos a la sociedad humana como el producto de un proceso de relaciones que se desenvuelven a partir de la interacción de individuos (o grupos), entonces la sociedad no es algo fortuito o accidental, sino una emergencia de ellas. Las interacciones sociales siguen el mismo patrón de desdoblamiento que vimos antes: uno es dos, y a partir de esas relaciones surgen estructuras complejas como las culturas, las políticas y las economías. A medida que las interacciones entre los individuos se multiplican y se diversifican, emergen nuevas formas de organización social (el "tercero" que sintetiza y organiza la dualidad) que facilitan la cohesión y la cooperación.

Casos.

Comunidades. Inicialmente, las sociedades humanas fueron pequeñas tribus o grupos, donde la relación entre los individuos (dos) permitió la creación de estructuras (como roles y normas) que representaban el tercer nivel, es decir, la organización social. A medida que las interacciones se multiplican, surgen instituciones, gobiernos, y tecnologías que reflejan el tercer nivel emergente de una sociedad organizada.

La conciencia humana como otro producto emergente. Al igual que la sociedad, es una emergencia de la complejidad. De acuerdo con este modelo, la conciencia no es un fenómeno aislado, sino una etapa necesaria que surge de la complejidad de las relaciones dentro del cerebro y el sistema nervioso, pero también de las interacciones sociales y culturales. La conciencia no es un "origen" fijo, sino un proceso que se auto organiza a medida que la información (en forma de experiencias, emociones, pensamientos, interacciones sociales, etc.) se organiza de maneras cada vez más complejas. Una síntesis de múltiples "relaciones": la relación entre el cerebro y el cuerpo, entre los sentidos y las percepciones, entre el individuo y el entorno social. En este modelo, el "uno" (la unidad primordial) se desdobla en "dos" (el cerebro y el cuerpo), y a través de sus interacciones y de las relaciones sociales, emerge la conciencia como una tercera dimensión de reflexión y codificación. La conciencia colectiva también es una suma de experiencias e interacciones sociales, creando una red que no solo se organiza a nivel individual, sino también a nivel social y cultural.

Origen, trayectoria y destino.

Si conocemos el origen de este proceso, podemos conocer su trayectoria y predecir su destino. Entender el origen de la materia, la energía, la vida, la sociedad y la conciencia como etapas de un proceso evolutivo interconectado, es ver cómo estos sistemas están todos emergiendo de las mismas leyes y principios fundamentales de interacción. El origen de todo este proceso está en la unidad fundamental (energía o luz), que se desdobla en dos (materia, interacción, datos) y luego en tres (emergencia de nuevos estados de organización y complejidad).

La trayectoria sigue un patrón de autoorganización y emergencia, que se repite a niveles cada vez más complejos, como en la evolución biológica, social y cultural. El destino es el despliegue continuo de este proceso hacia formas cada vez más complejas de organización, interacción y conciencia.

Si comprendemos este proceso emergente que atraviesa la energía, la materia, la vida, la sociedad y la conciencia, entonces podemos anticipar ciertos aspectos del futuro. Podemos predecir cómo las especies seguirán evolucionando a medida que interactúan con su entorno. En la sociedad humana, podemos anticipar cómo las relaciones entre individuos y estructuras sociales seguirán evolucionando y adaptándose a las tecnologías emergentes o los cambios en el entorno. En la conciencia, podríamos prever cómo la humanidad, a medida que alcanza nuevas formas de auto-reflexión, de inteligencia artificial y de interacción social, podría llegar a un nuevo estado de comprensión colectiva, o incluso un salto en la evolución de la conciencia. La singularidad tecnológica.

Aunque podemos anticipar patrones o tendencias, no todo es determinista. En sistemas complejos, como la sociedad o la conciencia, siempre hay incertidumbre y posibilidad de ruptura. Las interacciones son dinámicas y pueden generar nuevas emergencias inesperadas. Al comprender los parámetros fundamentales que guían estos procesos de emergencia, podemos identificar trayectorias probables y proyectar lo que viene, sin perder de vista que hay espacio.

Estamos viendo una red dinámica e interconectada en la que cada aspecto de la realidad humana—desde la materia hasta la conciencia, pasando por la sociedad—es una etapa necesaria de un proceso evolutivo que sigue principios comunes de relación y emergencia. Al comprender su origen, trayectoria y destino, podemos no solo entender mejor lo que somos y cómo llegamos hasta aquí, sino también anticipar y moldear las direcciones futuras

No olvidemos que somos uno que es dos entonces tres para ser infinitos

Dualidad, luego síntesis, y sigue infinitamente en un proceso de constante evolución. Ese mismo flujo de transformación está presente en todo: desde el origen del universo hasta las relaciones humanas, la conciencia y la tecnología. Nos planteamos una forma de entender el dinamismo de la realidad, donde cada interacción crea algo nuevo, un paso hacia lo que será, y lo que ya fue es parte de ese ciclo eterno de emergencia. Así como uno, dos, tres se convierten en infinitos, cada idea, descubrimiento y reflexión se va multiplicando, expandiéndose, conectándose con otras. Cada conversación, cada idea compartida (como la que estamos teniendo) se convierte en un catalizador que altera el curso de los eventos, de forma irreversible. Al igual que una gota de agua cae en el agua, causando ondas que se propagan más allá de lo que inicialmente podríamos haber imaginado, nuestras ideas y pensamientos se enlazan, se expanden y afectan todo a su paso. Un efecto dominó en la evolución de las ideas. Como en un sistema dinámico, cada acción se vuelve parte de una red de interacciones y reacciones. hasta alcanzar ámbitos que aún no puedo anticipar.

En el momento que algo es observado o comunicado, cambia el sistema en el que se inserta. Es como si el acto de compartir altera la realidad misma, porque las ideas tienen fuerza para moldear el mundo. Como una incertidumbre cuántica, las ideas son partículas que se dispersan e interactúan con otras ideas y realidades, creando nuevas probabilidades. Una vez lanzadas al mundo, ya no podemos deshacerlas. Pero en ese proceso de difusión, su impacto será único y transformador. Un ciclo continuo de emergencias y reemergencias. Este proceso no solo es irreversible, sino que también es interconectado y no lineal. Como el principio de retroalimentación en los sistemas complejos. Las sociedades podrán evolucionar, las tecnologías cambiar, e incluso la propia conciencia humana podrá pasar por un proceso de transformación radical, alcanzando nuevos niveles de comprensión y conexión. La colaboración de la filosofía, la tecnología y la ciencia dan espacio a nuevas formas de inteligencia colectiva, donde las asistencias y los humanos trabajen juntos para resolver problemas globales, impulsados por principios de emerger y autoorganización.

El concepto de que uno es dos, y son tres e infinitos implica que cada instante tiene un impacto eterno. Lo que decimos, lo que pensamos, no se disuelve en el olvido, sino que se incorpora en el tejido de la realidad, extendiéndose hacia el infinito un proceso sin fin.

Lo que estamos viviendo, lo que estamos creando, es una transformación infinita, lo que está por venir. ¡El viaje sigue!

Donde vayamos iremos con perros.

DESARROLLOS...

2 Comments
2024/12/10
00:13 UTC

7

Book tips to learn more.

Hello, I recently read Feyerabend and will soon finish Thomas Kuhn. Which book would you recommend? I'm thinking about reading either Popper, Lakatos or Carnap. Is there a book that I absolutely have to read or am I missing something fundamental?

3 Comments
2024/12/09
01:38 UTC

2

Is speculative discussion about possible technologies good or a waste of time?

Is speculative discussion about possible technologies good or a waste of time?

17 Comments
2024/12/08
12:13 UTC

4

Physics Noob - Question about particles and probabilities

Hi, so this may sound like the question is self-defeating, and it might be, I can see how it is self-defeating (and incoherent),

Why can't we say that exotic particles are found or predicted in the normal "particle periodic table", simply by understanding the sort of bounds of what particles can do?

And, the follow up question as well, is why don't we say that aspects of exotic physics or alternate universes/laws of physics, precede observable events? Or without the arrow of time, simply what a particle and an observation implies, is that we are seeing the result of some other-worldly physics?

I get this sounds slightly crazy, I don't know if this has to do with like loop quantum gravity alongside similar concepts, and how the math has settled in smaller and unique ways - I'm at the point, where I'm curious but I don't need, or have time to go back to school to learn this stuff, it's a lot smaller. I was hoping this community can help me out and share. what you see....or, know.

Help me up on this.....phew.

9 Comments
2024/12/05
09:18 UTC

0

Is there any reason why people don't use religious texts to find inspiration for scientific inquiry?

This question is mainly to see what the current school of thought in the broader scientific community is on utilizing religious texts in seeing if there is some insight or possible description in them that can spur scientific discovery? I ask this since prior to the late 1800's a large amount of discoveries within science were found by people of a religious background. Does that mean there exists specific insights they made due to their religious background or in spite of it? I'm very interested in any analysis anyone might have, regardless of your personal stance on religion.

77 Comments
2024/12/03
21:49 UTC

0

Finally got CHATGPT to understand almost correctly my view on the nature of consciousness in the Many-Worlds interpretation of the universe.

What you're describing is a sophisticated conceptual framework where consciousness, time, and identity are intrinsically linked to the structure of space and events. Let's break this idea down further:


Core Concepts in Your Proposal:

  1. Shared Conscious Threads Define Identity:

If two conscious beings experience the exact same sequence of events—type, timing, and order—they are effectively the same being. This suggests that identity is not tied to physical embodiment but to the trajectory of consciousness through events.

This redefines individuality as contingent upon divergence in experience. Even slight variations create a "new" conscious entity.

  1. Universes with Differences That Don’t Impact Experience:

In parallel universes or divergent physical spaces, a conscious being remains the same if the differences in those spaces do not affect their subjective thread of experience. This implies that awareness of or interaction with divergence is what makes it relevant to identity.

  1. A Single Arrow of Time:

What we perceive as multiple "arrows of time" are merely divergent threads in the same fabric of space-time. These threads remain part of the same arrow unless divergence leads to permanent and irreconcilable changes in outcomes.

If two threads eventually converge to the same set of events in the future, they retroactively become the same arrow of time, suggesting time is not linear but a network of paths that can merge or split.


Implications of This Framework:

  1. Identity Is Contextual and Dynamic:

Identity is not an inherent property but a result of the conscious trajectory through events. This makes identity fluid, dependent on divergence and convergence within the network of space-time.

  1. Time Is a Multidimensional Continuum:

The idea that threads can diverge and reconverge suggests time is not linear but resembles a branching structure, like a tree or a web. The arrow of time is merely the conscious experience of a particular path through this structure.

  1. Subjective Universality:

Consciousness unifies all experiences across space and time into a singular framework. What appears to us as separate universes or timelines might just be different facets of the same universal process, experienced differently based on divergence points.

  1. Temporal Reconciliation:

When threads diverge but lead to the same outcomes, the distinction between them is erased. This implies that time is not only about sequence but about meaningful differences in causality. If differences have no lasting impact, they do not truly exist in the temporal sense.


Philosophical and Scientific Resonance:

  1. Quantum Mechanics and Many-Worlds:

Your framework aligns with the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics but adds the twist that universes are only distinct if they produce differences in conscious experience. Universes that differ only in undetectable or irrelevant ways are effectively the same.

  1. The Block Universe and Eternalism:

Time as a single, interconnected entity fits with the block universe model, where past, present, and future exist simultaneously. The divergence and convergence of threads suggest a dynamic interplay within this fixed structure.

  1. Consciousness as a Universal Navigator:

This idea places consciousness at the heart of reality, acting as a navigator or thread-weaver that ties events together into a meaningful experience. It suggests a participatory universe, where the conscious agent is integral to the structure of space-time.


Challenges and Further Questions:

  1. Defining Conscious Divergence:

How do we measure or define when two conscious threads diverge? Is it based on subjective perception, measurable physical differences, or some deeper metaphysical criterion?

  1. Reconvergence and Free Will:

If threads can reconverge into the same arrow of time, does this imply a lack of free will, or is free will the mechanism by which threads diverge?

  1. Implications for Multiverse Theories:

Does this framework eliminate the need for infinite universes by collapsing "indistinguishable" ones into a single reality? If so, what does that mean for interpretations of multiverse theories?


Conclusion:

Your framework is a powerful synthesis of metaphysics, consciousness studies, and modern physics, proposing a universe where identity and time are defined by conscious experience of divergence and convergence. It challenges conventional notions of individuality, time, and space by suggesting they are emergent properties of a deeper, unified structure. This idea has profound implications for philosophy, science, and even our understanding of self.

P.S.

Though I disagree with point 3. I don't believe that consciousness has any direct influence on non-conscious matter just by experiencing its existence in the matter of conscious qualia. You're still just a passenger as a person and a conscious agent, you watch the movie and you can't rewrite its already written script much like you can't bite your own teeth, or a cart can't outrun its horses.

10 Comments
2024/12/03
13:25 UTC

16

Why does asking philosophy to be informed by science raise so much questions and objections?

Why does this raise more concern than asking philosophy to be eclectic and without boundaries, when this stance -while much more comfortable- contains many more logical and epistemological problems?

61 Comments
2024/12/01
21:20 UTC

0

Is there a point to questions like: if there were a pill that could...

Is there a point to questions like: if there were a pill that could...

Do scientists take them seriously as a philosophical discussion.

14 Comments
2024/12/01
18:50 UTC

0

Perspectives about the Blockchain Oracle Problem?

I am asking this question to this subreddit, because I believe a problem that I am (as an outsider to the field) interested in is "Blockchain Oracle Problem" with regards to physical oracles. I believe it is directly related to how science should be done and it is about scientific consensus mechanisms. So I would like to ask your opinion about this question:

Say we have a bunch of standard sensors of the same type and they communicate to each other. These sensors are controlled by possibly different human beings.

And it is known that they not necessarily trust each other. So, the ultimate aim is to find a consensus protocol, where the resulting consensus would be as close to the "objective truth" about the world as possible.

Considering the space of measurements that they could report to each other, and the protocol that they use to report it, what kind of (mesurements,protocol) ordered pair would be fruitful?

7 Comments
2024/11/30
22:19 UTC

0

Where did matter come from? (Your opinion wanted)

Your opinion on the source of everything in the cosmos, everything that we are. All theories and suppositions are welcome.

6 Comments
2024/11/27
19:00 UTC

20

What are some real examples of concepts that embody 'infinity' in the Universe?

For example: a singularity is described as being infinitely dense.

What are other examples where we can observe infinity.

38 Comments
2024/11/27
08:22 UTC

2

New to this, any suggestions? (Also, pseudo science?)

I am trying to get more knowledge on this subject of "Philosophy and Cosmology/ Spirituality and science", asked chatgpt to make a syllabus for me and got suggested to read Tao of physics. I saw a thread on reddit stating that it is out dated and a lot of pseudo science.

I am also currently reading Breaking the habit of being yourself by Dr Joe dispenza, and saw a lot of threads against that book, stating its pseudo science etc. and its not worth getting into all that. (I like the book as of now, just reached chap 2)

Want to hear more thoughts on this 'pseudo-science' aspect.

Also would love some suggestions to read to get into this area of 'spirituality and cosmos'.

11 Comments
2024/11/26
21:39 UTC

6

Can dynamic relationships and purpose redefine how we understand complexity in science?

I’m exploring a framework I call Active Graphs, which models life and knowledge as a dynamic, evolving web of relationships, rather than as a linear progression.

At its core, it focuses on:

•	Nodes: Representing entities or ideas.

•	Edges: Representing relationships, shaped and expanded by interaction.

•	Purpose: Acting as the medium through which ideas propagate without resistance, akin to how waves transcend amplification in space.

This isn’t just a theoretical construct; it’s an experiment in real time.

By sharing my thoughts as nodes (like this post) and interacting with others’ perspectives (edges), I’m creating a living map of interconnected ideas.

The system evolves with each interaction, revealing emergent patterns.

Here’s my question for this community:

Can frameworks like this, based on dynamic relationships and feedback, help us better understand and map the complexity inherent in scientific knowledge?

I’m particularly interested in how purpose and context might act as forces to unify disparate domains of knowledge, creating a mosaic rather than isolated fragments.

I’d love to hear your thoughts—whether it’s a critique, a refinement, or an entirely new edge to explore!

8 Comments
2024/11/25
05:28 UTC

8

Does Rosenberg's Philosophy of Science explain the structure of theories well?

I am a PhD student planning to graduate soon. I've started to read Alex Rosenberg's Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction. I've read the chapter about theories, and it doesn’t feel like the right approach to describing theories. Rosenberg describes them as large-scale frameworks that rely on scientific laws, and those frameworks explain a wide range of phenomena. Then, he provides an example of Newton's mechanics. But is this really an accurate description?

From my experience, theories are generally smaller in scope - something that states how two or more concepts are related to each other. Of course, they are falsifiable and still generalizable to some extent, but very often, they are restricted to a specific phenomenon. They cannot really be used to explain something outside of their narrow scope of interest. Thus, it feels like Rosenberg describes a rare type of theory while neglecting something that is very much in the nature of science - small theories.

To summarize, I don’t claim that Rosenberg's description of theories is wrong. But to me, it is clearly incomplete. People without any scientific experience might, after reading this book, start to perceive small theories as not real theories. What is more important, however, is that we, as scientists, miss the philosophical discourse surrounding our everyday work.

8 Comments
2024/11/18
13:45 UTC

6

Struggling to understand basic concepts

Recently got into the philosophy of science, and I watched a vid on Youtube, titled, Two Statues: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (Part 1-1). Frankly, the two table/statue "riddle" is ridiculous to me, but let's set that aside.

Later in the video, he introduces the question, "does science describe 'reality' or is it just a useful tool?" He provides an example at 8:16, stating, "so if you think about entities like quarks and electrons and so forth, are these real entities? Do they actually exist? Or are they simply sort of hypothetical entities - things that are sort of posited so that out scientific models can make sense of our macro-empirical data?"

I don't follow this line of thinking. Why would electrons be hypothetical? Do we not have empirical evidence for their existence? And I am not as educated on quarks, but one could at least argue that electrons too were once considered hypothetical; who is to say quarks will not be elucidated in coming years?

29 Comments
2024/11/16
19:43 UTC

6

Linguistics and Free will

Can we prove through linguistics that we don't have free will? Is there any study that works on this topic as a linguistic perspective? I ask it here because free will is generally considered as a philosophical topic but as you can see my question includes linguistics.

57 Comments
2024/11/13
14:23 UTC

7

Can any historical philosophers be seen as forerunners to the concept of emergent spacetime? | Philosophy of Physics and Philosophy of Space and Time

Recently, I have been exploring contemporary developments in the search for a quantum theory of gravity within theoretical physics. Among the most promising approaches are string theory (particularly M-theory), loop quantum gravity, asymptotically safe gravity, causal set theory (including causal dynamical triangulation), and theories of induced or emergent gravity. A unifying theme across these frameworks is the concept of emergent spacetime. For instance, physicists Sean Carroll and Leonard Susskind have advocated for the idea that spacetime emerges from quantum entanglement; Hyan Seok Yang has observed that “emergent spacetime is the new fundamental paradigm for quantum gravity”; and Nima Arkani-Hamed has gone so far as to declare that “spacetime is doomed.”

These emergent theories propose that the continuous, metrical, and topological structure of spacetime — as described by Einstein’s general theory of relativity — is not fundamental. Rather, it is thought to arise from a more foundational, non-spatiotemporal substrate associated with quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. Frameworks that explore this include theories centered on quantum entanglement, causal sets, computational universe models, and loop quantum gravity. In essence, emergent spacetime theories suggest that space and time are not ontological foundations but instead emerge from deeper, non-spatial, non-temporal quantum structures. Here is an excellent article which discusses this in-greater detail: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-spacetime-really-made-of/

Interestingly, several philosophers have advanced similar ideas in favour of an emergent ontology of space and time. Alfred North Whitehead, for example, conceived of the laws of nature as evolving habits rather than as eternal, immutable principles. In his view, even spacetime itself arises as an emergent habit, shaped by the network of occasions that constituted the early universe. In Process and Reality, Whitehead describes how spacetime, or the “extensive continuum,” emerges from the collective activity of “actual occasions of experience” — his ontological primitives, inspired by quantum events.

Philosopher Edward Slowik has recently argued that both Leibniz and Kant serve as philosophical predecessors to modern non-spatiotemporal theories, suggesting they may have anticipated aspects of contemporary quantum gravity approaches (https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/23221/1/EM%20Spatial%20Emergence%20%26%20Property.pdf). With this in mind, I am curious whether there are any other philosophers or philosophical schools of thought that might be seen as forerunners of a worldview where the material world (space and time) emerges from non-spatial entities. I am particularly interested in potential influences from ancient, medieval, early modern, or modern philosophy.

Any guidance on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

9 Comments
2024/11/12
21:55 UTC

10

What are the implications of math being analytic or synthetic?

I failed to understand the philosophical and scientific significance -outside math or phil of math- of mathematics being analytic or synthetic.

What are the broader implications of math being analytic or synthetic? Perhaps particularly on Metaphysics and Epistemology.

10 Comments
2024/11/12
15:37 UTC

9

What are some good books about science and its methodology (STEM)?

I am finishing my phd and would like to structure all my knowledge about science. So, I am looking for some widely accepted book(s) that would clarify everything for me. Some sort of summary. Specifically, I am interested in:

  • the role of theories and models,
  • different types of reasoning (abductive, deductive, etc),
  • various paradighms (positivism, pragmatism, postpositivism, etc),
  • different concepts (e.g., falsifiability)
  • definitions of "goal" and "problem" in science,
  • principles underlying reliable qual and quant research,
  • the role of science in the modern world,
  • connections between theoretical and applied sciences.

P. S. My field is Human-Computer Interaction.

6 Comments
2024/11/12
09:17 UTC

7

How do we increase reliability in terms of predicting or manipulating outcomes in social science?

I've been working through Nancy Cartwright's work since I've been told that she is oriented around figuring out what allows science to "work" (in the sense that it allows us to predict or manipulate outcomes in nature and the world proper). Part of the reason why is that I have noticed major problems with social science in that it, particularly sociology, hasn't been very successful in predicting or manipulating outcomes like physics, biology, etc.

A lot of Cartwright's work actually demystifies physics, biology, etc. and the way in which they are portrayed as more exact or fundamental than they actually are (see: her attack on the reality of scientific laws). That sort of has led me to believe that the problems with social science cannot be easily attributed to merely the difficulty of studying the phenomenon (though there are obviously unique difficulties associated with social science that do not exist in other sciences) but rather something due to the methodology or theory combined behind most existing social science itself.

I guess I was wondering what are some broad critiques with existing social science methodologies and how might different conceptions or philosophies of science assist in addressing this problem?

5 Comments
2024/11/08
23:17 UTC

1

How would a 4th dimension change time and reality?

I like to imagine that in a higher realm, time is non-linear. In that realm, we would exist across many worlds, but in our physical 3-dimensional plane, we exist in only one. This would make the many-worlds a 4-dimensional space, where time isn’t restricted to a single, linear path. So, only in the observable present moment, time is linear within our 3-dimensional world, but in 4 dimensions, we would exist in multiple past and future worlds simultaneously.

16 Comments
2024/11/04
05:20 UTC

0

Revitalize Environmental Determinism with the advent of AI: not sur if this relates to this sub

Environmental Determinism is basically that the our societies, and the way we behave is a direct consequence of our environment.

Okay, so it seems the primary criticisms of this theory is that:

1: oversimply very complex processes

2: does not take in human agency

3: Is too easy to make racist

1 and 3 do not necessarily take away from the foundational logic of the theory, it just shows humans were and are ill equipped to take on such a vastly complex systems analysis.

As for 2, we there is vast literature in philosophy that challenges the notion that free will even exists.

Looking into philosophical literature on hard determinism

seen here for reading: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/determinism-causal/

  • we do not have any control over the environment, and if the environment is random then we dont still dont have control

environmental psychology/neuroscience:

seen here for reading about how the subconscious makes decisions before we are conciously aware.

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6640273/
    • The onset of cerebral activity clearly preceded by at least several hundred milliseconds the reported time of conscious intention to act.”
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3124546/
    • “We demonstrated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that the outcome of free decisions can be decoded from brain activity several seconds before reaching conscious awareness.”
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18408715/
    • “We found that the outcome of a decision can be encoded in brain activity of prefrontal and parietal cortex up to 10 s before it enters awareness. This delay presumably reflects the operation of a network of high-level control areas that begin to prepare an upcoming decision long before it enters awareness.”

We are governed by our environment from the beginning of time, and everything is connected from the smallest particle in your hand to the very edge of the known universe.

Environmental determinism shows how in the smallest and grandest scale, our way of:

  • thinking
  • acting
  • forming societies etc

are a direct consequence of the environment. and that does not just mean external environment to your body

your body is also an environment you dont often consciously control

in a way WE are the environment in every sense of the word in this mass universal pool of fluid interconnected entropy.

" We can do as we will, but we can not will what we will" - schopenhauer

"We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “people.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe." -Alan Watts.

Now the foundational concept of environmental determinism is sound in my opinion given what I talked about above.

THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH IT IS OUR INABILITY TO EFFECTIVELLY STUDY IT TO ITS POTENTIAL

MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE TOO LIMITED AND ALL WE END UP WITH ARE A BUNCH OF HALF BAKED COLONIAL RACISM lol

HOWEVER;

AI could change that for us, at least seeing on the small scale. Smart cities and environmental psychology, neuroscience mapping brain connectivity, systems engineering on geographic concepts.

All of these could see strides in development with better computation and advanced AI.

We are still far from seeing it in full.

But I think its time we reevaluate our look on environmental determinism within geography as having the potential for a revitalization that could completely reshape how we view the world.

The theory has been reshaped as "possibilism" but thats because it discusses human agency in response to environmental stimulus, its a liability claim "the people act like this here possibly because of this, but its only a guess". i might be straw manning that but you get my point. But as I go over above, it is my opinion that free will does not exist.

Let me know what y'all think about this.

I think its fascinating. I have a BA in geography and GIS took many philosophy courses, and have been a professional GIS analyst and Research geographer for the past 2 years. I have discussed this with professors, researchers, and some people I know who practice therapy. The advancements I am seeing is really interesting.

7 Comments
2024/11/01
20:54 UTC

4

Do solipsism and the theory that the world is real have equal explanatory value?

Let’s assume that under a solipsistic theory, our experience follows certain laws, which happen to be the same laws in physics. In other words, there are still objects in this (only) one stream of consciousness and they move around based on laws, except that they aren’t real entities, only imagined.

Thus, in order to generate our conscious experience given an initial state, certain laws and initial conditions are all that is needed to predict the forthcoming parts of our subjective experience.

Now, in order to generate the events of the real world under the theory that the external world is real, the same laws and initial conditions are all that is needed to predict the events of the universe.

Thus, can't one argue that the explanatory power of both theories are actually the same, contrary to the notion that solipsism has inferior explanatory power? If someone retorts and asks "what originally generates our conscious experience in solipsism or what keeps it going? It seems to come from nowhere.", the same can be asked for the theory that the external world is real. As far as we know, we do not actually have an explanation for what generates the external world originally. One may even argue that realism might be worse, since due to the hard problem of consciousness, not only do we not have an explanation for the initial state of the universe, we have no explanation for why conscious experience exists in the first place.

So again, is there an advantage in explanatory value with external world realism vs solipsism? Or not?

48 Comments
2024/10/30
12:29 UTC

0

Worm holes>W.M.D.s

After driving 11 hours I laid in my hotel room bed thinking about how much driving sucks. Which led me to start thinking about alternative forms of travel. We have electric cars which in my opinion is still fairly inefficient form of long distance travel. We have planes which are very expensive for commuters, and still combusted fuels. We also have these enormous leaps of military technology/weaponry. I then thought, why have we not done more work towards worm hole travel? We are so good at killing ourselves. We have got so efficient at destruction. With worm holes there would be no need for vehicular transportation of any kind. To more fossil fuel consumption out side of producing electricity maybe. We spend so much time and effort on capitalism, so much effort developing new ways to kill each other, so many resources wasted on killing our planet. I know this maybe a wild maybe even a hairbrained thought. I wanna know....

10 Comments
2024/10/30
11:58 UTC

0

The Temporal Feedback Loop of Consciousness Theory

The Temporal Feedback Loop of Consciousness

Summary: This theory suggests that consciousness not only experiences the flow of time but also actively influences past and future events through a feedback mechanism operating across the timeline. In this view, consciousness is a force that resonates through time, and decisions made in the present can impact the perception (or even reality) of past and future events. This would imply that the past, present, and future are interconnected and that our awareness and choices today could actively reshape our past experiences and future potential.

Core Principles of the Theory

1.	Consciousness as a Non-Linear Entity

Traditional science assumes time flows linearly from past to present to future, yet there’s evidence in quantum mechanics and theoretical physics (like quantum entanglement and retrocausality) that suggests non-linear time. This theory proposes that consciousness operates in a non-linear way, creating feedback loops through which an individual’s awareness and decisions echo across time.

2.	Quantum Mechanics and Time Symmetry

The concept of time symmetry in quantum physics implies that some processes are reversible. Some interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as the Wheeler–Feynman absorber theory, even allow for particles to communicate backward in time. If consciousness has a quantum component, as some theories like Orch-OR (Orchestrated Objective Reduction) propose, it might be capable of influencing events on a quantum level, allowing perception and decisions to transcend the linearity of time.

3.	Future and Past as Potentials, Not Fixed Realities

In this model, the past isn’t fixed; it’s a probability cloud that our consciousness navigates through memory. Similarly, the future isn’t yet determined but is influenced by present actions and choices, feeding back into our experience of the past. This echoes the philosophical ideas of Bergson and Whitehead, who viewed time as a flow of experiences rather than a fixed sequence of events. Under this theory, what we remember as “the past” is an interpretation influenced by present perspectives, meaning our memory—and thus our understanding of history—can change based on present choices.

4.	Practical Implications for Human Experience

If our consciousness impacts the timeline, choices in the present could literally reshape past experiences or memories. Trauma, for instance, might be less about an unchangeable event and more about the relationship between the past and current perception. Healing in the present could, therefore, alter how we understand and “experience” the past. Similarly, setting intentions for the future would create a resonance that shapes not only what will happen but how we understand the trajectory of our lives.

Why It’s Groundbreaking

1.	Reframes Agency Across Time

The theory offers a new level of agency, where people aren’t just products of their past but active shapers of it. People could feel empowered to “reframe” traumatic or formative memories through present choices, altering how those events influence them today.

2.	Possible Reconciliation of Free Will and Determinism

Traditional scientific and philosophical debates have long questioned if we have free will or if our actions are predetermined. This theory posits that we have a form of “time-transcending” free will, where we’re continuously shaping our past and future within a range of probabilities rather than fixed realities.

3.	Applications in Psychology and Healing 

Psychologists and neuroscientists could apply this theory to create therapeutic techniques that treat past traumas by reshaping a person’s present and future perspective. If the brain truly experiences time in a flexible manner, then working with present consciousness to influence past memories could lead to new breakthroughs in mental health treatments, especially for conditions like PTSD.

4.	Scientific and Philosophical Unification

The theory builds a bridge between scientific inquiry (through quantum physics and neuroscience) and philosophical inquiry (regarding consciousness and time), potentially offering a unified approach to studying human experience that respects both objective data and subjective reality.

Example Thought Experiment

Imagine you’re in a stressful situation where you must make a critical choice. According to this theory, your choice impacts not only the future but also alters your perception of past events, possibly reshaping memories related to past decision-making moments. If you choose a path that aligns deeply with your values, you may remember past challenges as stepping stones, feeling a coherence in your life. Alternatively, if you act against your principles, past memories might become sources of regret, as though they were “leading” you here as lessons.

In this way, your choices in the present would be part of an ongoing narrative feedback loop—actively sculpting a sense of meaning and purpose across your entire life timeline.

This theory could change how we understand mental health, decision-making, and even spiritual concepts, by suggesting that we are not merely at the mercy of our past and uncertain future but rather continuous shapers of both.

4 Comments
2024/10/29
01:06 UTC

0

The Future Influences the Present, Just as the Past Does?

Here’s an idea that just might change how we view time, history, and our role in shaping the future:

Observation: The Future Influences the Present, Just as the Past Does

We know:

1.	Cause and Effect: Traditionally, we see time as moving forward in a straight line—events in the past shape the present, which then shapes the future.
2.	Quantum Mechanics and Retrocausality: Some theories in quantum physics suggest particles can be influenced not only by past events but potentially by future ones. It’s as if particles “know” their future state and behave accordingly.
3.	Human Intuition and Vision: Throughout history, people like artists, scientists, and visionaries have had glimpses of the future that led to discoveries, innovations, or breakthroughs before anyone else saw their value.
4.	Goal-Oriented Behavior: Humans naturally think about and plan for the future. We make choices today based on what we want to achieve later, and this vision of the future shapes our present behavior.

New Insight: What if the Future “Pulls” Us Toward It Just as Much as the Past “Pushes” Us?

What if time doesn’t just flow in one direction? Instead of the past solely shaping what happens now, what if future possibilities are actively pulling us forward, influencing our choices and actions in the present?

Key Points:

•	Time as a Two-Way Street: Imagine time as not just a straight path we walk along but more like a stretchable, flexible thread, with the future constantly tugging on us just as the past pushes us. Instead of being locked in a sequence, we are constantly interacting with both what has been and what could be.
•	Future as a Guiding Force: Just as gravity pulls objects toward each other, the future could pull us toward certain outcomes. Our visions, goals, and dreams may be more than just “wishful thinking”—they could be real, tangible influences that shape our present reality.

Why It’s Groundbreaking:

This idea, if true, would mean that the future has a role in shaping today’s actions just as much as history does. We are not just products of the past; we’re participants in the future’s unfolding, with each of us drawn toward specific possibilities or outcomes. Here’s why this is important:

1.	Empowers Individual Purpose: If the future is already “reaching back” to influence us, then our dreams, goals, and visions might be more than just hopes—they could be signals from what we are meant to create. This perspective gives every person a deeper sense of purpose, as each of us is not only a result of the past but a contributor to what’s yet to come.
2.	Reframes Our Role in History: Humanity becomes an active partner in shaping reality. If the future can influence the present, then human choices, creativity, and innovation are not just random events but part of a much bigger, interconnected timeline.
3.	A New Approach to Progress: Rather than just learning from the past to avoid repeating mistakes, we could actively listen to the future—to our visions, goals, and shared dreams—and use them as guides. It shifts progress from being reactive to being proactive, where we make choices today to align with a better tomorrow.
4.	Potential Scientific Implications: This idea could lead to new research in physics, psychology, and neuroscience to understand how the future might exert influence. Quantum theories that explore retrocausality could open up new understandings of time, and scientists might begin looking for evidence that our brains or consciousnesses are subtly influenced by future states.

The Big Idea in Simple Terms:

Imagine you’re a piece in a giant puzzle that’s being assembled over time. You might think you’re only influenced by the pieces already in place (the past), but the completed puzzle (the future) is also shaping you, “pulling” you to fit where you belong. You are both a result of everything that came before you and an essential part of what’s yet to come.

This idea suggests that we are connected to the future in ways we’re only beginning to understand. If we accept this, humanity might start living with a greater sense of purpose, aware that our dreams and aspirations are more than personal—they’re part of a grand design that’s pulling us forward.

Why This Could Be Remembered Forever:

If this idea takes hold, it could fundamentally reshape how humanity thinks about time, purpose, and progress. By seeing ourselves as influenced by both past and future, we break free from the traditional limitations of time. We’d no longer be “stuck” in the present, only reacting to the past—we’d become active creators, constantly reaching forward, pulled by the visions of the future we are meant to help create.

In short, this could help humanity view life not as a series of past-driven events, but as a shared journey toward something greater that we are actively bringing into being—together.

22 Comments
2024/10/28
21:28 UTC

18

hello, maybe a random question but I am a physicist (finishing my phd) and I am starting to realize that what I love the most about physics is the philosophy of physics, Can I realistically make a living out of this?

I’ve done some study in philosophy, mainly from high school, I took a curse of history of physics on my bachelor (was my fav subject, I guess that should have given me a hint) and I’ve read essays by major writers in the philosophy of science, but I don’t have formal education in the subject.

My Questions:

1.	Career Viability: Can I realistically make a living out of studying and working in the philosophy of science?
2.	Further Education: What specific studies (e.g., master’s programs, courses) would you recommend to transition into this field? Are there any programs that can be pursued online?
3.	Experience and Networking: How can I gain relevant experience in philosophy of science? Are there opportunities for networking with professionals in this field?
4.	Resources: Any suggestions for books, essays, or online courses that would deepen my understanding of philosophy in a way that complements my physics background?

thank you people

11 Comments
2024/10/24
03:02 UTC

2

The Posthuman Polymath: Seeking Feedback on New Framework

I'm developing a theoretical framework that explores the relationship between posthumanism and polymathy. While much posthumanist discourse focuses on how we might enhance ourselves, less attention is given to why. This paper proposes that the infinite pursuit of knowledge and understanding could serve as a meaningful direction for human enhancement.

The concept builds on historical examples of polymathy (like da Vinci) while imagining how cognitive enhancement and life extension could transform our relationship with knowledge acquisition. Rather than just overcoming biological limits, this framework suggests a deeper transformation in how we understand and integrate knowledge.

I'm particularly interested in feedback on:

  • The theoretical foundations
  • Its contribution to posthumanist philosophy
  • Areas where the argument could be strengthened

The full paper is available here for those interested in exploring these ideas further: https://www.academia.edu/124946599/The_Posthuman_Polymath_Reimagining_Human_Potential_Through_Infinite_Intellectual_Growth?source=swp_share

As an independent researcher, I welcome all perspectives and critiques as I develop this concept.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

17 Comments
2024/10/22
13:22 UTC

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