| Probably Not for Rational Thinkers |
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DISCLAIMER: This page is here for the simple
reason that nothing makes your professor more
skeptical than the certainty with which some so-called
skeptics proclaim what cannot be true or even
conceivable. That is not to say that he unconditionally
embraces all that has been included here. Your
professor has personally experienced nonfalsifiable
phenomena during his 29 years of clinical practice.
The explanations offered by many of his colleagues
were invariably unhelpful and mindlessly dismissive.
You are admonished to make up your own mind about
what you read here, what you've been told, and how
you make judgments when there is uncertainty.
reason that nothing makes your professor more
skeptical than the certainty with which some so-called
skeptics proclaim what cannot be true or even
conceivable. That is not to say that he unconditionally
embraces all that has been included here. Your
professor has personally experienced nonfalsifiable
phenomena during his 29 years of clinical practice.
The explanations offered by many of his colleagues
were invariably unhelpful and mindlessly dismissive.
You are admonished to make up your own mind about
what you read here, what you've been told, and how
you make judgments when there is uncertainty.
Unthinking
respect for
authority is the
greatest enemy
of truth. Albert
Einstein
respect for
authority is the
greatest enemy
of truth. Albert
Einstein
The universe may have a purpose, but nothing we know suggest
that, if so, this purpose has any similarity to ours. Bertrand
Russell
that, if so, this purpose has any similarity to ours. Bertrand
Russell
Logical errors are, I think, of greater
practical importance than many people
believe; they enable their perpetrators
to hold the comfortable opinion on
every subject in turn.
Bertrand Russell, A History of Western
Philosophy
practical importance than many people
believe; they enable their perpetrators
to hold the comfortable opinion on
every subject in turn.
Bertrand Russell, A History of Western
Philosophy
| What is real? What is an illusion? Who can we trust to tell us? |
| When all else fails! |
| or |
Every great advance in natural knowledge
has involved the absolute rejection of
authority. Thomas Henry Huxley
has involved the absolute rejection of
authority. Thomas Henry Huxley
Knowledge is not a series of self consistent theories
that converges towards an ideal view; it is rather an
ever increasing ocean of mutually incompatible (and
perhaps even incommensurable) alternatives, each
single theory, each fairy tale, each myth.
Paul Feyerabend
that converges towards an ideal view; it is rather an
ever increasing ocean of mutually incompatible (and
perhaps even incommensurable) alternatives, each
single theory, each fairy tale, each myth.
Paul Feyerabend
Maybe it is worth investigating the
unknown, if only because the very
feeling of not knowing is a painful one.
Krzysztof Kieslowski
unknown, if only because the very
feeling of not knowing is a painful one.
Krzysztof Kieslowski
Nothing is so firmly believed
as that which we least know.
Michel de Montaigne
as that which we least know.
Michel de Montaigne
The experimenter
who does not know
what he is looking for
will not understand
what he finds.
Claude Bernard
who does not know
what he is looking for
will not understand
what he finds.
Claude Bernard
It may come as a severe shock if you haven’t given much
thought to this subject before—but our precious, cast-in-
stone, ‘objective’ beliefs are often totally in contrast to any
reality. Or, more accurately, they are our perception of
reality, rather than reality itself. Robert White
thought to this subject before—but our precious, cast-in-
stone, ‘objective’ beliefs are often totally in contrast to any
reality. Or, more accurately, they are our perception of
reality, rather than reality itself. Robert White
In our ludicrous efforts to 'change' and
be perfect, we try to fashion a perfect
world for ourselves. We start to
imagine that we are actually in control
of our world, which is further from
reality than an all-parrot moon
landing. The universe, our universe, is
out of our control. We live on a speck
drifting around in an infinite vacuum
with countless trillions of other specks.
Our world is in a perpetual state of
perfect chaos and entropy, with
everything falling apart and dying and
being born haphazardly. Meanwhile,
we try to make life as neat and clean
and orderly as a computer research
facility, when in fact it is more like a
junkyard. It always has been, and it
always will be, no matter how much
fussing and sweating and striving we
do to make it different. Robert White
be perfect, we try to fashion a perfect
world for ourselves. We start to
imagine that we are actually in control
of our world, which is further from
reality than an all-parrot moon
landing. The universe, our universe, is
out of our control. We live on a speck
drifting around in an infinite vacuum
with countless trillions of other specks.
Our world is in a perpetual state of
perfect chaos and entropy, with
everything falling apart and dying and
being born haphazardly. Meanwhile,
we try to make life as neat and clean
and orderly as a computer research
facility, when in fact it is more like a
junkyard. It always has been, and it
always will be, no matter how much
fussing and sweating and striving we
do to make it different. Robert White
Till a man can judge whether they be truths or not,
his understanding is but little improved, and thus
men of much reading, though greatly learned, but
may be little knowing. John Locke
his understanding is but little improved, and thus
men of much reading, though greatly learned, but
may be little knowing. John Locke
Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny
sincerely exercised for the good
of the victims may be the most
oppressive…To be ‘cured’
against one’s will and to be
‘cured’ of states which we do not
even regard as disease, is to be
put on a level with those who
have not yet reached the age of
reason or those who never will, to
be classed with infants, imbeciles,
and domestic animals. C.S. Lewis
sincerely exercised for the good
of the victims may be the most
oppressive…To be ‘cured’
against one’s will and to be
‘cured’ of states which we do not
even regard as disease, is to be
put on a level with those who
have not yet reached the age of
reason or those who never will, to
be classed with infants, imbeciles,
and domestic animals. C.S. Lewis
To expect science or history of
philosophy ever to explain my or your
peculiar consciousness as you read and
reflect on these words is, however, a
fool’s errand: as Einstein once quipped,
“the purpose of chemistry is not to
recreate the taste of the soup."
Howard Gardner
philosophy ever to explain my or your
peculiar consciousness as you read and
reflect on these words is, however, a
fool’s errand: as Einstein once quipped,
“the purpose of chemistry is not to
recreate the taste of the soup."
Howard Gardner
| Having faith may not be a bad thing! |
The map is not the
territory.
Alfred Korzybski
territory.
Alfred Korzybski
Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always
interesting to me, because as we know, there are known
knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know
that there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there
are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown
unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know." Donald
Rumsfeld (Chester's comment, "of all people, the Secretary of
Defense would know!")
interesting to me, because as we know, there are known
knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know
that there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there
are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown
unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know." Donald
Rumsfeld (Chester's comment, "of all people, the Secretary of
Defense would know!")
“Didst thou forget that
man prefers peace, and
even death, to freedom of
choice in the knowledge of
good and evil?...We teach
them that it’s not the
free judgment of their
hearts, but mystery which
they must follow blindly,
even against their
conscience.... In the end
they will lay their
freedom at our feet [and]
become obedient...We shall
tell them that we are Thy
servants and rule them in
Thy name.... we shall be
forced to lie.... We shall
tell them that every sin
will be expiated if it is
done with our permission.”
The Grand Inquisitor, in
Brothers Karamazov
man prefers peace, and
even death, to freedom of
choice in the knowledge of
good and evil?...We teach
them that it’s not the
free judgment of their
hearts, but mystery which
they must follow blindly,
even against their
conscience.... In the end
they will lay their
freedom at our feet [and]
become obedient...We shall
tell them that we are Thy
servants and rule them in
Thy name.... we shall be
forced to lie.... We shall
tell them that every sin
will be expiated if it is
done with our permission.”
The Grand Inquisitor, in
Brothers Karamazov
Who are you going
to believe, me or
your own eyes?
to believe, me or
your own eyes?
| When you hear hoof beats . . . |
Do not miss
it if you can.
it if you can.
