Friday, October 29, 2004
I love it even more when they're incoherent
Dear Scholars,
Paul Boghossian
Professor of Philosophy; Chair, Department of Philosophy
will speak on "Is Knowledge Relative to Culture?"
According to the Azande of Central Africa, certain events (misfortunes)
are to be explained by witchcraft; according to Western science, no event
is to be explained by witchcraft. Can we say that the Azande are wrong to
believe in witchcraft? Or is the most we can say something relative--
according to them, there are witches, but according to us, there aren't?
on Monday, November 8
5:00 p.m.
Jurow Lecture Hall, Room 101A Silver Center
Let's do a thought exercise. I put a bullet into your dog. I say a bullet killed your dog. You say you don't believe in bullets, so your dog must be ok. Can we both be right?
Not so much, not if the dog's real anyway, or if your name's not Derrida.
BTW I don't think you could say that science can't accept witchcraft, unless your scientist is also a metaphysician. At least I think so, I'm a little hazy on the details being buried in statistics at the moment.
Paul Boghossian
Professor of Philosophy; Chair, Department of Philosophy
will speak on "Is Knowledge Relative to Culture?"
According to the Azande of Central Africa, certain events (misfortunes)
are to be explained by witchcraft; according to Western science, no event
is to be explained by witchcraft. Can we say that the Azande are wrong to
believe in witchcraft? Or is the most we can say something relative--
according to them, there are witches, but according to us, there aren't?
on Monday, November 8
5:00 p.m.
Jurow Lecture Hall, Room 101A Silver Center
Let's do a thought exercise. I put a bullet into your dog. I say a bullet killed your dog. You say you don't believe in bullets, so your dog must be ok. Can we both be right?
Not so much, not if the dog's real anyway, or if your name's not Derrida.
BTW I don't think you could say that science can't accept witchcraft, unless your scientist is also a metaphysician. At least I think so, I'm a little hazy on the details being buried in statistics at the moment.
