Imagination.

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by Beaconator, Oct 11, 2021.

  1. Quantum Quack Life's a tease... Valued Senior Member

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    I am not sure that the word "dashing" is the best approach, although it sort of aligns quite well with an anti- science belief system. I would more prefer to use the words "grounding" or "disciplining" our imaginations with a greater knowledge of reality that only a scientific approach can provide.
    Ever since Plato killed the gods when the demand for evidential support for beliefs became the norm, mankind's natural paranoia subsided for as we know, fear is placated by knowledge, facts, physical laws etc..
    The famous Salem witch trials are a classic example of unbridled imagination, fear and injustice.
    18th century Psychiatric institutions were full of people with "unbridled imaginations" attempting to cope with the industrial age and all it's inherent concerns.

    So the scientific approach actually allows the imagination to become more useful, enhancing it's productivity rather than diminishing or dashing it's self.
     
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  3. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Anil Seth calls it " controlled hallucinations".
     
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  5. Beaconator Valued Senior Member

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    But will science ever enhance itself to the point of pure imagination?

    that is the question here
     
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  7. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    But that would be unscientific. Science relies on falsification.
    Without falsification there can only be (hypo)thesis, never theory.

    thesis; plural noun: theses.
    1. a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.
      "his central thesis is that psychological life is not part of the material world"
     
  8. river

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    Nature has a way of bringing us back to reality . Imagination is useful in understanding , but not perfect .
     
  9. Beaconator Valued Senior Member

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    I asked myself for ten years…, “What’s missing?”

    and I’m still not completely sure
     
  10. Beaconator Valued Senior Member

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    Science relates itself to agreement of testing.

    so any untested idea should always be in the forefront. Regardless of what we may “think” it would do.
     
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  11. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    I agree, if that idea is testable to begin with.
     
  12. river

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    Reality .

    Science can get bogged down with tradition , history , the theorist . And has done so countless times in history .

    It can and does , stifle new ideas .
     
  13. Quantum Quack Life's a tease... Valued Senior Member

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    where the laws of physics are an inhibition by choice? Perhaps...we already see this in various forms such as video games, fantasy science fiction etc that manipulate those laws at will... ( in abstraction )
     
  14. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    One of the advantages of science is caution about new ideas. Even if good ideas take longer to become established, we also throw out a lot of bad ideas.
     
  15. river

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    Caution based on what criteria ?

    Bad ideas on what criteria ?
     
  16. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Evidence.
     
  17. river

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    Yes and interpretation of the evidence , by whom .
     
  18. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Consensus.
     
  19. river

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    That's a very huge problem .
     
  20. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Tell us what the problem is.
     
  21. river

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    Consensus is not about truth .
     
  22. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Consensus about the interpretation of evidence is the closest thing to "truth" that we have.
     
  23. river

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    Think about what you just posted here .










    Consensus is not science .
     

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