One of the debates about knowledge is whether it is revealed or man makes it up. Bacon claims knowledge is discovered. Whether it is revealed or discovered, knowledge would then always exist.
Bacon says what we study the most is the lens through which we see things. I totally agree with this. I would say that I study religion and I see everything from a religious viewpoint. Bacon claims that this religious viewpoint would bias me against true science. I believe that since God created everything and everything reflects God, then science is also a reflection of God. That is the deductive reasoning that some of the great philosophers used.
I am impressed with how much knowledge is gained by taking time to observe the world around us. One of the things that I agree with Bacon on is the idea that there are so many things that e have not thought of and inventions still be to be discovered that we can't even dream of, yet.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
More thoughts on Novum Organum
We can not keep doing the same old things and expect different results. (I think that this is a the definition of insanity.) Whenever, we keep getting the same thing over and over again, we fail to look at what we are doing to cause it.
There is a an argument in education as to what it means to improve education. If we could find the way to improve education, then we could find ways to improve the human mind. While education is individual and personal, the field of education is doing very little to personalize education. Bacon observed that we are doing very little to improve the human mind. We are also doing very little to find the truth. "We tend to believe what we want to believe." It seems to be that way with subjects such as global warming.
Bacon holds a discussion on the inadequacy of our words. The problems with language is that words bring to mind different images according to our own experiences. While the word "cold" might mean images of snow flakes to some, in Arizona, it might mean images of ice cubes in a glass of water.
There is also a distortion of history due to words, but also do to our own experience. The other problems with history are due to the meaning of words changing, but also limited point of view. It is very difficult to get every one's vision of an event. As we compare points of view, we will see discrepancies due to the varying perspectives.
There is a an argument in education as to what it means to improve education. If we could find the way to improve education, then we could find ways to improve the human mind. While education is individual and personal, the field of education is doing very little to personalize education. Bacon observed that we are doing very little to improve the human mind. We are also doing very little to find the truth. "We tend to believe what we want to believe." It seems to be that way with subjects such as global warming.
Bacon holds a discussion on the inadequacy of our words. The problems with language is that words bring to mind different images according to our own experiences. While the word "cold" might mean images of snow flakes to some, in Arizona, it might mean images of ice cubes in a glass of water.
There is also a distortion of history due to words, but also do to our own experience. The other problems with history are due to the meaning of words changing, but also limited point of view. It is very difficult to get every one's vision of an event. As we compare points of view, we will see discrepancies due to the varying perspectives.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thoughts on Novum Organum
I don't know what happened to my last posts. I hope this works. On Thursday, during my online class, we began to discuss Novum Organum. We just got through the first aphorisms. This has been a very slow process to get through this book.
The summary for today's reading:
There needed to be restoration of science in his day. Science being knowledge. The problem with science in our day is that what is being imparted to us through the media is not science. Take the recent Swine Flu scare. While there may have been concern, it need not have bordered on hysteria. The information being disseminated to the public was not based on true scientific findings.
Bacon pointed out that there needed to be debate and supposition in some science in order to bring us to the right conclusions. While we are just beginning to know and understand viruses, there is certainly a call for debate on what the Swine Flu was going to do. However, I am not sure that the place for such debate is in the media. The debate over the Swine Flu in the media did not lead us to further understanding of the Flu.
Bacon also asserted that we base our current knowledge on knowledge gained from past experience and thought. In the case of the Swine Flu, I remembered getting the Flue shot in 1978 during the last outbreak and received the flu from the shot. So, my experience did not support the current thinking on the outbreak.
However, this has a broader application than just in science. We base our judgments and decisions on past experience. Which is a challenge for long term relationships, we tend to base our responses on past experience and not what is before us in the present.
The last aphorism for today was Aphorism 39. Bacon discusses the four kinds of idols besetting mankind. He named the idols of the Tribe, Cave, Market-place, and Theatre. Idols being were we spend our focus and the concentration of our thought. The Idol of the Tribe has to do with exaggeration, distortion, and disproportion to our thinking. The Idol of the Cave has to do with a reference to the Allegory of the Cave by Plato. The cave represents our minds and thinking. If we concentrate on only one branch of learning, we tend to define everything by that branch of learning. The Idol of the Mareket-place has to do with out talking our opponents and therefore, we be believe we have one the argument. The Idol of the Theatre is accepting other peoples beliefs as our own without thinking about what we are accepting. These idols are certainly prevalent in our thinking today and they are what slow us down as individuals and as a society.
Not that I believe that we should challenge every single thing we hear, but I believe that we do not spend enough time in thinking about our lives. I find it very difficult in my life to find time for the "refreshing pause" of thinking. I will assume that others have that challenge.
The summary for today's reading:
There needed to be restoration of science in his day. Science being knowledge. The problem with science in our day is that what is being imparted to us through the media is not science. Take the recent Swine Flu scare. While there may have been concern, it need not have bordered on hysteria. The information being disseminated to the public was not based on true scientific findings.
Bacon pointed out that there needed to be debate and supposition in some science in order to bring us to the right conclusions. While we are just beginning to know and understand viruses, there is certainly a call for debate on what the Swine Flu was going to do. However, I am not sure that the place for such debate is in the media. The debate over the Swine Flu in the media did not lead us to further understanding of the Flu.
Bacon also asserted that we base our current knowledge on knowledge gained from past experience and thought. In the case of the Swine Flu, I remembered getting the Flue shot in 1978 during the last outbreak and received the flu from the shot. So, my experience did not support the current thinking on the outbreak.
However, this has a broader application than just in science. We base our judgments and decisions on past experience. Which is a challenge for long term relationships, we tend to base our responses on past experience and not what is before us in the present.
The last aphorism for today was Aphorism 39. Bacon discusses the four kinds of idols besetting mankind. He named the idols of the Tribe, Cave, Market-place, and Theatre. Idols being were we spend our focus and the concentration of our thought. The Idol of the Tribe has to do with exaggeration, distortion, and disproportion to our thinking. The Idol of the Cave has to do with a reference to the Allegory of the Cave by Plato. The cave represents our minds and thinking. If we concentrate on only one branch of learning, we tend to define everything by that branch of learning. The Idol of the Mareket-place has to do with out talking our opponents and therefore, we be believe we have one the argument. The Idol of the Theatre is accepting other peoples beliefs as our own without thinking about what we are accepting. These idols are certainly prevalent in our thinking today and they are what slow us down as individuals and as a society.
Not that I believe that we should challenge every single thing we hear, but I believe that we do not spend enough time in thinking about our lives. I find it very difficult in my life to find time for the "refreshing pause" of thinking. I will assume that others have that challenge.
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