virus: Models

Eric Boyd (6ceb3@qlink.queensu.ca)
Tue, 11 Jun 1996 01:32:49 -0500


David McFadzean wrote:

> > Yes, but the very act of deciding that a model /can even be made/ is
> > that science views reality as having a "True Structure" to model after.
>
> Yes. Are you suggesting that a model cannot be made?

No. A model can be made. It's just that said model will possibly be
just our minds impossing order on a chaotic (_un_ordered) universe,
rather than us actually figuring out the "true structure" of the
universe.

For science, this is where your circluar validity comes in. The fact
that we not only have a model but that the model can be used to _affect_
the universe in useful ways means that possibly we _are_ onto something
here.

> You have to accept that your senses are somehow influenced by
> reality. It is not the same thing, and it isn't faith.

At the start it _is_. Now it's not, because we have evidence that
indeed what we sense is _out_there_ and can be modelled and controlled
by us.

> > > What terrible things do you think would happen if everyone was
> > > reasonable?
> >
> > A lot of people whould lose their faith. Bridges and tall buildings
> > might become popular places...
>
> You seem to be suggesting that once people became reasonable
> they would start committing suicide. I don't get it.

No, I'm saying that when they _lose_their_faith_, a void is created and,
at least as it stands, reason itelf is not enough to fill the hole.
Rather than face this, some people might jump...

Of course, this can be avoided if we can fill that hole... and this is
the reason behind CoV and Zero, right?

ERiC