Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00429)

theos-l@vnet.net wrote:

> 
> Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 12:29:25
> From: be94bmp@brunel.ac.uk (be94bmp)
> To: theos-l@vnet.net
> Subject: Re: Philosophy of Science
> Message-ID: <Q2DA2AA5@tc-pc-31>
> 
> Bart,
> 
> I have to disagree with you on your remarks made about philosopy and science.
> Philosophy is the study of ideas which characterise the whole, both the
> physical and non-physical realms. Science is the proof of the ideas
> presented. Granted,exoteric science is the study of the physical universe,
> but ofcourse one also has the esoteric sciences which study the subjective.
> To try to suggest that the two disciplines are the same, ie. simply
> "Science" is I believe not the case, though they can complement each other!
> Then, there is the philosopy of science which is the study of how to go
> about proving the philosophical ideas through scientific method. I suppose
> this splits the esotericist from the exoteric scientists because they study
> the interplay of the objective and subjective from two different stand
> points.
> Speaking about mathematics, I would say that mathematics is a subset of
> scientific method. One can use the same symbols to mean something completely
> different as long as you tell others what the symbols in your system
> actually mean. Then you don't lose communication. I think you could suggest
> that languages such as English are mathematical in nature, one "adds" up
> letters to form a word which has definite meaning to the native linguist, but
> to an Englishman who hasn't studied French the "mathematics" are going to be
> incomprehensible.
> 
> Love and Light
> Ben
> 
> ------------------------------
> 

It is important to make a distinction between "pure mathematics" and 
"applied mathematics", for they are entirely different disciplines.  
Pure mathematics exists for its own sake, and it often treats a 
different subject matter, and in a different way, from applied 
mathematics.

The disciplines are so distinct that historically there has even 
sometimes appeared to be some hostility between practitioners of the 
distinct fields.  Once a conference featured parallel sessions on pure 
and applied mathematics, and it was asked how one could ensure harmony, 
given the apparant historic hostility of the disciplines.  The reply 
was: "Applied mathematics has never been hostile to pure mathematics; 
applied mathematics can never be hostile to pure mathematics; for the 
two have nothing in common."