Scoobie Doo Realism 2 Aug 201022 Jun 2018 Came across this at Big Monkey, Helpy Chalk: Scoobie-Doo Realism wants to posit that there is an intellectual movement that should be called “Scoobie-Doo Realism.” People take up a stance of Scoobie-Doo Realism when they pose as hard nosed advocates of science and objectivity, because they can unmask a traditionally mysterious figure. This despite the fact that their own explanations make no sense and they hang out with a talking dog. Philosophy Science Philosophy
Epistemology Notes on novelty 2: Historical considerations – before and after evolution 18 Dec 201122 Jun 2018 Notes on Novelty series:1. Introduction2. Historical considerations – before and after evolution3: The meaning of evolutionary novelty4: Examples – the beetle’s horns and the turtle’s shell5: Evolutionary radiations and individuation6: Levels of description7: Surprise! 8: Conclusion – Post evo-devo The roots of novelty in biology are very deep. They go back at least to Aristotle’s book… Read More
Epistemology Classic quotes: Hume 30 Sep 2010 You propose then, Philo, said Cleanthes, to erect religious faith on philosophical scepticism; and you think, that if certainty or evidence be expelled from every other subject of enquiry, it will all retire to these theological doctrines, and there acquire a superior force and authority. Whether your scepticism be as… Read More
Biology Around the internets 23 Jul 2009 Razib has a post on a paper in BMC Evolutionary Biology that shows, fairly well, I thought, that Australian aborigines are most closely related to relict populations of indigenous Indian tribes. They are touting this as evidence that the “southern route” from Africa was the one taken by the Australians… Read More
This seems to be more of an issue in fiction than anywhere else, where something seems like it is magical but then turns out not to be, but the scientific explanation is really just shouting out the word “Science!” really loudly. The recent Sherlock Holmes movie fit strongly in this category. That said, the examples that Big Monkey actually uses are not very good ones. In particular, quantum mechanics may seem weird but it has a lot of evidence behind it.
He uses moral realism also. But I had in mind those who think that science explains all, and we do not need to attend to philosophical questions. This form of Scoobism is often asserted.
Or to quote Monty Python: Gorilla #1: “We’re gorillas!” Gorilla #2: “Are we? I thought we were orang-utans!” Gorilla #1: “We are not orang-utans! We don’t look anything remotely like orang-utans!” Which, out of all Monty Python quotes, is surely the most pertinent to Evolving Thoughts. It’s got species concept references and everything.
Velma pulls the white gorilla suit’s head. John: “I would have gotten away with philosophy if it wasn’t for these meddlng kids!”
John: Is this a cousin? He seems to be thinking about his next blog entry. Current cover of Genetics: http://www.genetics.org/current.dtl