Dear Bob,
Many thanks for the nice comments and the personal encouragement. Perhaps
we are in the middle of turbulent era in crucial branches of science, so
that a replacement or alternative metaphysics as you mention looks a timely
task, at least with some higher probabilities to get a modicum attention.
Besides ecology, which I think will get increasing "ascendancy" due to the
daunting ecological crisis, the neurosciences (the inner life of the
person) and the very subject we are discussing these days (biomolecular
networks, the molecular intelligence of life), should strategically
contribute to advance new visions, values, attitudes, etc., into the roots
of the way of thinking behind science. At least, it is not accidental that
in a number of paragraphs of recent exchanges, one can appreciate the
surfacing of metaphysical motives. Hopefully, the next session on ethics
and information will provide further opportunities to get deeper into the
subject.
best regards
Pedro
At 16:33 13/12/2005, you wrote:
>Dear Pedro,
>
>I do not have time to type all my thoughts in the wake of your posting, so
>I am just sending you a brief personal word of encouragement.
>
>The problem, as I see it, is that science labors under a metaphysic that
>has outlived its usefulness. It is a ragged remnant of what two hundred
>years ago passed for Enlightened science, but most colleagues cling to the
>shreds with a ferocious tenacity!
>
>I am about to begin writing my third book, which purpose will be to
>expostulate a replacement metaphysic (which I have pretty much scoped out
>for myself.)
>
>I can't recall whether I found it on FIS, or elsewhere, but have you read
>Elsasser's "A Logic for Biology"? It gives some strong arguments
as to why
>the argument for mechanism in biology is specious:
>
><http://www.vordenker.de/elsasser/we_logic-biol.pdf>
>
>Problem is, if one is concerned only with organisms, the idea of mechanism
>doesn't look all that faulty. It's when you get into the realm of ecology
>that mechanism loses its lustre.
>
>Anyhow, I just wanted to let you know that you are hardly alone in your
>frustration with how nature is perceived by most. Unfortunately, the big
>journals that everybody worships will not touch an alternative metaphysics
>with a ten foot pole!
>
>Peace,
>Bob
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Robert E. Ulanowicz | Tel: (410) 326-7266
>Chesapeake Biological Laboratory | FAX: (410) 326-7378
>P.O. Box 38 | Email <ulan@cbl.umces.edu>
>1 Williams Street | Web <http://www.cbl.umces.edu/~ulan>
>Solomons, MD 20688-0038 |
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Received on Fri Dec 16 10:25:48 2005
