Changes

====1.3.4.  Philosophy of Science====

====1.3.4.  Philosophy of Science====

Continuing the angle of assault previously taken toward the abandoned mines of intellectual history, there are many other veins and lodes, subsided and shelved, that experts assay too low a grade for current standards of professional work.  Yet many of these superseded courses and discredited vaults of theory are worth retooling and remining in the shape of computer models.  Computational reenactments of these precept chapters in human thought, not just repetitions but analytic representations, could serve the purpose of school figures, training exercises and stock examples, to be used as instructional paradigm cases.

Continuing the angle of assault previously taken toward the abandoned mines of  

intellectual history, there are many other veins and lodes, subsided and  

shelved, that experts assay too low a grade for current standards of  

professional work.  Yet many of these superseded courses and discredited vaults  

of theory are worth retooling and remining in the shape of computer models.   

Computational reenactments of these precept chapters in human thought, not just  

repetitions but analytic representations, could serve the purpose of school  

figures, training exercises and stock examples, to be used as instructional  

paradigm cases.

But there is a further possibly.  Many foregone projects were so complex that  

But there is a further possibly.  Many foregone projects were so complex that not everything was understood about their implications at the time they were rejected for some critical flaw or another.  It is conceivable that new things might be learned about the global character of these precursory models from computer simulations of their axioms, leading principles, and general lines of reasoning.  Even though their flaws were eventually detected by unaided analysis, their positive features and possible directions of amendment may not have been so easily appreciated.  An extended reflection on the need for various kinds of reconstruction in and of philosophy, and the conditions for their meaningful application to unclear but present situations, may be found in (Dewey, 1948).

not everything was understood about their implications at the time they were  

rejected for some critical flaw or another.  It is conceivable that new things  

might be learned about the global character of these precursory models from  

computer simulations of their axioms, leading principles, and general lines of  

reasoning.  Even though their flaws were eventually detected by unaided  

analysis, their positive features and possible directions of amendment may not  

have been so easily appreciated.  An extended reflection on the need for various  

kinds of reconstruction in and of philosophy, and the conditions for their  

meaningful application to unclear but present situations, may be found in  

(Dewey, 1948).

A prime example of a project awaiting this kind of salvage operation is the  

A prime example of a project awaiting this kind of salvage operation is the submerged edifice of Carnap's "world building" (1928, 1961), the remains of a mission dedicated to "the rational reconstruction of the concepts of all fields of knowledge on the basis of concepts that refer to the immediately given … the searching out of new definitions for old concepts" (1969, ''v'').  The illusory stability of the "immediately given" has never been more notorious than today.  But the relevant character to be appreciated in this classical architecture is the degree of harmony and balance, the soundness in support of lofty design that subsists and makes itself evident in the relationship of one level to another.  Much that is toxic in our intellectual environment today could be alleviated by a suitably analytic and perceptive movement to recycle, reclaim, and restore the artifacts and habitations of former times.

submerged edifice of Carnap's "world building" (1928, 1961), the remains of a  

mission dedicated to "the rational reconstruction of the concepts of all fields  

of knowledge on the basis of concepts that refer to the immediately given ...

the searching out of new definitions for old concepts" (1969, v).  The illusory  

stability of the "immediately given" has never been more notorious than today.   

But the relevant character to be appreciated in this classical architecture is  

the degree of harmony and balance, the soundness in support of lofty design that  

subsists and makes itself evident in the relationship of one level to another.   

Much that is toxic in our intellectual environment today could be alleviated by  

a suitably analytic and perceptive movement to recycle, reclaim, and restore the  

artifacts and habitations of former times.

==Work In Progress==

==Work In Progress==