Re: [!! SPAM] RE: [asa] PvM's View of What Science IS

My sensibility about this argument is that the "soft" sciences are
indeed sciences. They use the observation and analysis processes, and
draw tentative conclusions which are tested.
What is distinctive is the noise in the data. JimA [Friend of ASA]

Alexanian, Moorad wrote:

>I personally would not characterize psychology, social and related studies as scientific. Let us face it, if one uses his/her brain to study something that does not make it scientific. The subject matter of these studies is indeed the human being. This remained me of forensic science where one uses the results of the experimental sciences, viz. chemistry, physics, experimental biology, etc., and one notion that comes out is profiling. You can call that science or scientific if you like but results of profiling are not ironclad since they often fail.
>
>
>Moorad
>
>________________________________
>
>From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu on behalf of D. F. Siemens, Jr.
>Sent: Tue 9/18/2007 12:36 AM
>To: pvm.pandas@gmail.com
>Cc: dickfischer@verizon.net; asa@calvin.edu
>Subject: Re: [asa] PvM's View of What Science IS
>
>
>
>
>On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:27:01 -0700 PvM <pvm.pandas@gmail.com> writes:
>responding to Alexanian:
>
>
>>Alexanian
>>
>>
>>
>>>The reason religion is not the purview of science is that it deals
>>>
>>>
>>with the exercise of human free
>>
>>
>>>will, which cannot be reduced to the purely physical.
>>>
>>>
>>The reason why religion is not the purview of science is because it
>>deals with issues of faith where lack of evidence is not considered
>>relevant. However, your 'argument' that religion is not the purview
>>of
>>science because it deals with free will seems flawed, and in fact,
>>your claim that free will cannot be reduced to the purely physical
>>lacks in supporting evidence, seems contradicted by what we do
>>know,
>>and fails to accurately define both free will and 'purely
>>physical'.
>>
>>As such, I cannot accept your claim.
>>
>>
>>
>This allows psychology, sociology and related studies to be scientific
>despite the fact that they deal with the activities of human beings. As
>to religion dealing "with issues of faith where lack of evidence is not
>considered relevant," this sounds like the misquotation of Tertullian, "I
>believe because it is impossible." However, what is considered nonsense
>is not believed in any religion that I have encountered, and I have
>taught the history of religion. The faiths are internally consistent, or
>are held to be so.
>
>By the way, Tertullian's point was that the gospel story is true because
>its claims would not be invented, they are too extreme for fiction.
>Dave (ASA)
>
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Received on Tue Sep 18 10:33:21 2007