Opinions - The Absolute Sound

Rxman:

"Tasac"........PRN OU.

i will admit that this discussion is out of proportion to the importance of the topic, however, i wish to comment upon my position of the inadmissibility of scientific knowledge..

any "theories" based upon observation cannot be proven mathematically.

such theories or as one would call them "empirically-based knowledge", are based upon inductive reasoning, which cannot be proven with certainty.

knowledge implies truth, implies certainty.

newton's theory of gravity is a stochastic phenomenon. there is some very small probability that some event in the future may contradict it, although, to date it has not happened.

this subject requires a semester of philosophy, so i will say no more.

i think i should have majored in philosophy and gone for a phd and then decided to teach.

Mrtennis, it's never too late.

Timrhu's right, Mrtennis. Never too late to pursue study of philosophy, or anything else. Change happens!

But for most people, it is probably unwise to pursue college teaching as a vocation, esp. later in life. The current economic malaise seems to have increased the (already depressing) rate at which desirable, secure, jobs in the academy are drying up. There might be some uptick with a "recovery," but I suspect things will continue to be a bit grim.

John

PS: FWIW, the standard account of knowledge as "justified true belief" does not seem to imply certainty.

hi jdoris:

truth without certainty seems contradictory.