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> due to initial assumptions that are much a matter of faith Isn't it always the case that science is built on a matter of faith though? I have faith that I'm
by anc2020 17y ago
> due to initial assumptions that are much a matter of faith
Isn't it always the case that science is built on a matter of faith though? I have faith that I'm not in a matrix-like reality, and there's no real way to know if I was in one, so I just set it aside, and instead work within the model of reality I see.
And if you do assume that the this reality does hold consistently (you don't really have much choice to decide otherwise), surely you can learn and know about how stuff works within that reality. Or am I missing something?
- jerf 17y agoWhat about a "matrix-like reality" would preclude science? (It's actually a deep question, if you take the time to really grapple with it.)
- anc2020 17y agoOh no I understand that we could now be in a matrix-like reality, which is what I meant by "setting the question aside", and I'm arguing that there's nothing wrong with trying to use science to find out stuff under a whole load of assumptions, because that is essentially what we are doing all the time, whether or not we are talking about something philosophical like free-will. But when you think about it, under this reality, how could free will possibly exist? Everything I do is a direct consequence of the past, modulo some possible quantum randomness if you believe in that, but even the randomness wouldn't give me a free will.