Re: metaphysics

George Murphy (gmurphy@raex.com)
Fri, 16 Jul 1999 07:32:13 -0400

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Massie wrote:
>
> Do I have any takers on explaining why it is that physics does not
> really explain anything?
>
> This metaphsical problem is generally viewed as originating from the
> issue of beginnings. That is, what is the ultimate cause and what
> caused that. Instead, we have the more immediate issue of explanations
> of what causes everyday phenomena without going to the singularity of
> the beginning if we just recognize that physics explains nothing.

Physics does not give the _ultimate_ explanation of anything. Neither does
any other human enterprise. Even to say that "God" is the ultimate cause of all
things leaves questions, for our knowledge of who God is and why God does things is
limited. But it is quite false to say that "physics does not really explain
anything." It explains some natural phenomena in terms of natural processes. Even
though that does not answer the question of why anything exists at all, it is hardly
"nothing."

George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/

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