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This (causation as correlation) revelation was highlighted by Hume and this and other work by him had profound influence on Kant (famously awaking him from his

This (causation as correlation) revelation was highlighted by Hume and this and other work by him had profound influence on Kant (famously awaking him from his "dogmatic slumbers") and scientists like Darwin and Einstein - the latter obviously in a more healthy scientific age when those at the forefront of physics were not so disdainful of philosophers.

danielam 6y ago
If you mean Hume's skepticism toward causation, then all I can say is that, as with all things Hume, he is highly overrated. The presuppositions that his arguments rest on aren't even accepted by most people who, to steal from Stroud, bow reverentially at his feet. For instance, most who pay homage to Hume do not accept his severe restrictions vis-a-vis causality in the realm of perception. But it is precisely this crude imagist theory of perception that Hume grounds his arguments against the knowledge of causation in. (Which is not to dismiss your point about their being a kind of savagery and philosophical philistinism among scientists. This was certainly Feyerabend's view.)
- mellosouls 6y ago
  I don't have time to delve into this (delving would be required as I don't have the knowledge on tap) and respond to it, but have upvoted anyway; whether I agree or disagree with this or some of your other comments, your eloquence is appreciated!
Geminidog 6y ago
A good analogy is geocentrism vs heliocentrism. Philosophy suffers from the same bias that promoted a geocentric view of the solar system. The idea that humanity and human thought and human culture is central. I believe this is where most of the disdain comes from. Yes philosophy has a lot to say about logic and science but then you get stuff like the philosophy of religion, education and of art which are purely human concepts unique to us.... similar to how the mating habits of the chimpanzee are unique to the chimpanzee it's easy to see a category error with philosophy. There is a dichotomy here and philosophy does not respect it, science and logic apply to both the human and the chimpanzee (whether the chimpanzee chooses to understand it or not) but art and religion and mating behavior do not cross this divide and is unique to each species. This is the main issue with philosophy, by placing the philosophy of religion on the same level as the philosophy of logic it is saying that human centric concepts are no different then universal concepts and that humans are the center of the universe.

danielam 6y ago

If you mean Hume's skepticism toward causation, then all I can say is that, as with all things Hume, he is highly overrated. The presuppositions that his arguments rest on aren't even accepted by most people who, to steal from Stroud, bow reverentially at his feet. For instance, most who pay homage to Hume do not accept his severe restrictions vis-a-vis causality in the realm of perception. But it is precisely this crude imagist theory of perception that Hume grounds his arguments against the knowledge of causation in. (Which is not to dismiss your point about their being a kind of savagery and philosophical philistinism among scientists. This was certainly Feyerabend's view.)

mellosouls 6y ago
I don't have time to delve into this (delving would be required as I don't have the knowledge on tap) and respond to it, but have upvoted anyway; whether I agree or disagree with this or some of your other comments, your eloquence is appreciated!

Geminidog 6y ago

A good analogy is geocentrism vs heliocentrism. Philosophy suffers from the same bias that promoted a geocentric view of the solar system. The idea that humanity and human thought and human culture is central. I believe this is where most of the disdain comes from. Yes philosophy has a lot to say about logic and science but then you get stuff like the philosophy of religion, education and of art which are purely human concepts unique to us.... similar to how the mating habits of the chimpanzee are unique to the chimpanzee it's easy to see a category error with philosophy. There is a dichotomy here and philosophy does not respect it, science and logic apply to both the human and the chimpanzee (whether the chimpanzee chooses to understand it or not) but art and religion and mating behavior do not cross this divide and is unique to each species. This is the main issue with philosophy, by placing the philosophy of religion on the same level as the philosophy of logic it is saying that human centric concepts are no different then universal concepts and that humans are the center of the universe.