Epictetus comments on Schools Proliferating Without Evidence - Less Wrong

40 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 15 March 2009 06:43AM

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Comment author: dxu 18 April 2015 07:13:16PM 3 points [-]

Wait, what? There's little evidence of anything better than philosophy at solving problems? How about physics, cognitive science, computer science, mathematics, etc.?

Comment author: Epictetus 19 April 2015 02:40:14AM 2 points [-]

When a branch of philosophy becomes useful at solving problems, people give it a new name and no longer consider it part of philosophy.

Comment author: dxu 19 April 2015 08:14:19PM *  2 points [-]

Then what is philosophy supposed to be? Just a field for asking questions (but not answering them)?

Comment author: Quill_McGee 19 April 2015 08:53:57PM 3 points [-]

The system for generating new fields of research? After all, if it generates other areas that are no longer philosophy reasonably regularly, then that actually creates value.

Comment author: dxu 20 April 2015 12:02:13AM *  2 points [-]

Does it (still) do so, though? I'm aware that most of what is now science used to be called "natural philosophy", but nowadays it doesn't really seem like there's anything left.

Comment author: Lumifer 20 April 2015 02:33:38AM 1 point [-]

The system for generating new fields of research?

Is it a system for generating new fields of research, or is it just a catch-all bin where all the nebulous, hazy, and vague things are kept until they firm up enough to become fields of research?

Comment author: TheAncientGeek 20 April 2015 10:16:04AM *  2 points [-]

Presumably its the place where questions that can't readily be answered, (or even formulated, .or may not even really be questions), live. A sin bin. The only realistic alternative is sweeping them under the carpet, since the idea of all questions automagically being answerable is a nirvana.

Philosophy is the best thing there is at being philosophy. Its worse at answering its in questions than other fields are at answering their own questions, but its questions are harder,. It isnt broken in the sense that there is any easy way of fixing it, or a comparable alternative doing the same job,

It is very important for rationality to notice the differences between

1 Inferior compared to a real , comparable thing

2 Inferior compared to unmplemented but realistic alternatives.

3 Inferior compared to nirvanas.