At 14:54 10/06/98 -0700, Jim Devine wrote: >So we basically agree (since you accept, however provisionally, the >existence of reality), except for some of the terminology. Saying "it would >be nice if this idea were 'true'" is equivalent (I believe) to my assertion >that the realist postulate (that empirical reality exists independent of >our perception of it) seems necessary to rational thought. ____________ This basic point is present in most of what Jim is saying on this discussion. But I think it is a weak point from scientific perspective itself. Hisenberg's (sp?) uncertainty principle asserts that the "objective reality" is completely implicated with the "subjective perception" of it. Jim's position above would render Hisenberg's uncertainty principle and a lot of quantum physics "irrational thought". As a matter of fact many modern quantum theorists are trying to remove the subject by creating the idea of "multiverse", where infinite universes exist simultaneously and all the infinite possibilities of all the events take place in the infinite universes simultaneously. For example, I'm not only typing these letters right now but also playing soccer in the world cup in some other universe, and both of these are equally objectively true. But I have a feeling that the idea of "multiverse" would create much more problem for Jim's "realist postulate". Cheers, ajit sinha
