Comments on: The Silver Ring Thing and the heresy of statistics http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/ Blogging on Philosophy and Politics Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:59:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Yet There Is Method In It » Blog Archive » School Uniforms and Religion http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-217 Yet There Is Method In It » Blog Archive » School Uniforms and Religion Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:46:57 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-217 [...] to the heart of the issue of uniforms and freedom of belief - unlike the Lydia Playfoot case (the Silver Ring Thing) which is entirely optional within Christianity. The high court ruled against Lydia Playfoot back [...] [...] to the heart of the issue of uniforms and freedom of belief – unlike the Lydia Playfoot case (the Silver Ring Thing) which is entirely optional within Christianity. The high court ruled against Lydia Playfoot back [...]

]]> By: El Sordo http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-216 El Sordo Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:33:16 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-216 "My Lord" “My Lord”

]]> By: Anti Citizen One http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-215 Anti Citizen One Sat, 30 Jun 2007 21:26:54 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-215 I am the Ruler of the Universe's cat :) AC1 I am the Ruler of the Universe’s cat :)

AC1

]]> By: El Sordo http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-214 El Sordo Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:11:10 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-214 By a quite pleasant coincidence I have been re-reading the Restaurant at the end of the universe. I had almost completely forgotten about the 'ruler of the universe' who quite pleasingly is a solopsistic skeptic "nothing exists except my mind". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_characters_from_The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#The_Ruler_of_the_Universe By a quite pleasant coincidence I have been re-reading the Restaurant at the end of the universe.
I had almost completely forgotten about the ‘ruler of the universe’ who quite pleasingly is a solopsistic skeptic “nothing exists except my mind”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_characters_from_The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#The_Ruler_of_the_Universe

]]> By: El Sordo http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-213 El Sordo Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:48:57 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-213 Sounds like a good read. Looking forward to the review. Sounds like a good read. Looking forward to the review.

]]> By: Anti Citizen One http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Anti Citizen One Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:05:19 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-212 Which reminds me, I am currently reading "What We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty". I will post a review when I am done. AC1 Which reminds me, I am currently reading “What We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today’s Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty”. I will post a review when I am done.

AC1

]]> By: El Sordo http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-211 El Sordo Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:40:05 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-211 Sod it! Lets go for a bit of unresolved cartesian skepticism it might be fun :) Talking of arbitrary scientific beliefs... what about Electrons and DNA? Are they: a) observable entities, or b) unobservable instrumental entities (unobservable entity x exists as an instrument to aid in the success of theory y), or c) unobservable entities that do not exist even as non-truth conditioned instruments? I am lured to propose to you the famous 'Brain in a Vat' argument. A mad scientist removes a brain from a body and places it in a vat full of life-sustaining fluids. The brains neurons are connected by wires to a supercomputer that provides electrical impulses to stimulate the brain. These impulses are identical to those provided by our brain in normal circumstances. The supercomputer is projecting to us a virtual reality, such as 'I am walking down the street'. Our brain is responding to these impulses and is experiencing this virtual reality. However of course this virtual reality and all the experiences and sensations and objects and facts contained within it have no bearing upon external as-lived brain in the skull reality. As the impulses and experiences of the brain in the vat are synonymous with those experiences that are had in the skull, these experiences are undifferentiable. In other words the brain (from its impulse/neuron perspective) cannot tell whether it is in vat or in a skull. Yet in a skull most of the persons beliefs may be true 'I am walking down a street, I am eating ice-cream, it is raining'. The brain in the vat may well think it is experiencing the same reality, but it is not, this is false belief. Therefore, so the argument goes, we cannot rule out the possibility that our brains are in vats. In which case we cannot know whether our beliefs are completely false. Therefore we have no justification for believing in any of the things we say we believe in. We cannot know what we believe. Sod it! Lets go for a bit of unresolved cartesian skepticism it might be fun :)

Talking of arbitrary scientific beliefs… what about Electrons and DNA? Are they:
a) observable entities, or
b) unobservable instrumental entities (unobservable entity x exists as an instrument to aid in the success of theory y), or
c) unobservable entities that do not exist even as non-truth conditioned instruments?

I am lured to propose to you the famous ‘Brain in a Vat’ argument.

A mad scientist removes a brain from a body and places it in a vat full of life-sustaining fluids.
The brains neurons are connected by wires to a supercomputer that provides electrical impulses to stimulate the brain.
These impulses are identical to those provided by our brain in normal circumstances.
The supercomputer is projecting to us a virtual reality, such as ‘I am walking down the street’.
Our brain is responding to these impulses and is experiencing this virtual reality.
However of course this virtual reality and all the experiences and sensations and objects and facts contained within it have no bearing upon external as-lived brain in the skull reality.

As the impulses and experiences of the brain in the vat are synonymous with those experiences that are had in the skull, these experiences are undifferentiable.
In other words the brain (from its impulse/neuron perspective) cannot tell whether it is in vat or in a skull.
Yet in a skull most of the persons beliefs may be true ‘I am walking down a street, I am eating ice-cream, it is raining’.
The brain in the vat may well think it is experiencing the same reality, but it is not, this is false belief.

Therefore, so the argument goes, we cannot rule out the possibility that our brains are in vats.
In which case we cannot know whether our beliefs are completely false.
Therefore we have no justification for believing in any of the things we say we believe in.
We cannot know what we believe.

]]> By: El Sordo http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-210 El Sordo Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:23:43 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-210 Although... trusting my senses and rejecting unresolved Cartesian skepticism, I can 'know' that you are expressing dissatisfaction at feeling pain. I just cannot 'know' that pain. I fully accept the intervention of the Devils Advocate and see no reason why either of us should reject external knowledge altogether :) Although… trusting my senses and rejecting unresolved Cartesian skepticism, I can ‘know’ that you are expressing dissatisfaction at feeling pain. I just cannot ‘know’ that pain.

I fully accept the intervention of the Devils Advocate and see no reason why either of us should reject external knowledge altogether :)

]]> By: El Sordo http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-209 El Sordo Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:20:24 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-209 I can always ask if it hurts and intuit that you may require sympathy for being in pain. But, even though I may have experienced that pain for myself I cannot know your pain. I can always ask if it hurts and intuit that you may require sympathy for being in pain. But, even though I may have experienced that pain for myself I cannot know your pain.

]]> By: Anti Citizen One http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-208 Anti Citizen One Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:59:52 +0000 http://www.methodinit.org.uk/methodinit/2007/06/23/the-silver-ring-thing-and-the-heresy-of-statistics/#comment-208 If I hit my head and start grunting and swearing in pain, don't bother asking me if it hurt - since you don't "know" if I really feel pain. :) Just playing devil's advocate! AC! If I hit my head and start grunting and swearing in pain, don’t bother asking me if it hurt – since you don’t “know” if I really feel pain. :) Just playing devil’s advocate!

AC!

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