Integrated truth and existential phenomenology : a Thomistic response to iconic anti-realists in science / by Robert C. Trundle ; foreword by Peter A. Redpath.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Trundle, Robert C., 1943- author.

Series:

Value inquiry book series ; v. 283.

Value inquiry book series. Philosophy and religion

Value inquiry book series ; Volume 283

Philosophy and religion

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Existential phenomenology.

Existentialism.

Phenomenology.

Science--Philosophy.

Science.

Anti-realism.

Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, 1225?-1274.

Thomas.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 169 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill Rodopi, [2015]

Summary:

Integrated Truth and Existential Phenomenology: A Thomistic Response to Iconic Anti-Realists in Science relates an existential phenomenology to modal reasoning. By this reasoning, rooted in a consciousness of phenomena in themselves, a Thomistic realism is advanced wherein scientific inquiry yields objective truth and presupposes a causal principle. This principle, as an inferably true modality, strictly implies a first cause. And this cause as a supreme norm, causally created human nature as it ought to be. So with no naturalistic fallacy, a naturalistic ethics is inferred from our psycho-biological nature that also informs art and politics. Politics, as the institutionalization of ethics, is inferable from ethical prescriptions that are as certifiably true as the descriptions of science that inform it. Philosophy and Religion (PAR) is dedicated to a critical study of religious attitudes, values, and beliefs. PAR welcomes a wide variety of philosophical approaches to general and specific topics arising from the whole spectrum of religious traditions. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Existential Phenomenology and Truth in Science 1

1.1 Dilemmas of Truth that Afflict Realism 1

1.2 A Weak Realism Despite the Dilemmas? 4

1.3 A Robust Realism for Mature Theories 7

1.4 Theory-Dependence Vs. a Consciousness-Rooted Realism 10

2 Realism Rooted in Observational Consciousness 12

2.1 Consciousness and Reality 13

2.2 Reality of a Paradox to a Paradoxical Consciousness 14

2.3 Existential Phenomenology: An Antidote to Neuroscience Sophistry and Other Substitutes for Philosophy 16

2.4 The Recurring Seductions of Self-Refuting Reductionisms 19

2.5 Should Neuroscience Study the Phenomena of Neuroscience and Disbelief in God? 22

2.6 Anti-Phenomenological Footings of Neuroscience Philosophy 24

2.7 How Philosophy was Previously Skewed by Aping Science 26

2.8 Contra Kant: Consciousness of a Thereness Apart From Thought 28

2.9 Consciousness of Aspects of Phenomena 30

2.10 Seeing Non-Epistemologically in the Analytic Tradition 32

2.11 In This Tradition, Seeing Epistemologically 34

3 From Cultural Relativism as a Species of Realism to Realism in Science 36

3.1 A Common-Sense Inference of True Theories Versus an Everyday Contextual Relativism 36

3.2 Realism as Opposed to a Politically-Correct Cultural Relativism 37

3.3 Phenomenological and Logical Support of Realism 42

3.4 Scientific Significance of Aspects of Phenomena 43

3.5 An Anti-Realist K-K Thesis Surmounted by Common Sense 45

3.6 A Phenomenological Explanation of Historical Developments 46

3.7 The Developments Include Free Will and Causal Determinism 48

4 Scientific Realism and Problems of Observation 51

4.1 Theory Vs. Theory-Neutral Observation 51

4.2 Observation-Theoretical Distinction or Differences in Degree? 55

4.3 Theory-Laden Observation and Observational Consciousness 57

4.4 Observational Footing is Not a Physics-Friendly Metaphysics 60

4.5 Metaphysics Vs. Modal Logic and a Phenomenology of Observation 62

4.6 Observation-Laden Theory; Are Theoretical Entities Observed? 66

4.7 Observation via Existential Phenomenology is Not a Theory 68

5 The Turn From Realism Roused by a Self-Avowed Realist 72

5.1 Covert Influence of Popper's Anti-Realism 73

5.2 A Preamble to Popper's Problems in the Philosophy of Science 74

5.3 The Overlooked Origin of Observation Statements as Falsifiers 75

5.4 How Falsificationism is Ungrounded by Observation 76

5.5 An Anti-Realism of Kuhn's Radical Relativism 78

5.6 From Relativism to Post-Modern Reinventions of Self and Theories 78

5.7 The Relation of Science to Sophists and Super Scientists 79

5.8 A Peculiar Case of Missing the Profound Point about Popper 81

5.9 Radical Empiricism Fueling Feyerabend's Anarchy 82

5.10 Feyerabend's Anti-Establishment Think-Tank-Like Conjectures 83

5.11 Conjectures Vs. Sartre's Strange Support of Aristotle and Thomas 85

6 A Return to Scientific Realism 89

6.1 Commensurability: A Presupposition of Scientific Progress 89

6.2 Truth Upheld by De Re and De Dicto Impossibilities? 90

6.3 The Impossibilities are Not Undercut by Meaning Variances 92

6.4 Verisimilitude: Increasing Truth, Not Truth-likeness 94

6.5 Problem of Ascribing Truth to Theories as Conjunctive Propositions 95

6.6 Prepositional Logic Vs. What It Makes Sense to Say 97

6.7 Is it Senseless to Say that Superseded Theories are Still True? 99

6.8 Truth is an Attainable Aim of Methodology 100

6.9 A Methodology Tolerating New Phenomena Not Being Duplicated 101

6.10 From Eventual Duplication to Novelty and New Research 104

6.11 From Research and Success to the Issue of Internal Inconsistency 108

7 Scientific Truth Informs Truths of Ethics, Art and Politics 114

7.1 Integrated Truth with Its Starting Point in Real Existence 114

7.2 Existence Subject to Causes Understood Methodologically 116

7.3 Modalities in Science Presuppose the Causal Principle 117

7.4 Preamble: the Causal Principle Strictly Implies a First Cause 119

7.5 Does Evolution Exclude a First-Cause Creator? Is this Creator Inferred Invalidly? 121

7.6 A Soundly Inferred God Averts Kierkegaard's "Leap of Faith" 123

7.7 A "Leap of Faith" Avoided by Sound Modal Reasoning 124

7.8 Inferring a First Cause and Its Integration of Truth in Science, Ethics, Art and Politics 126

7.9 The Sound Inference of a First Cause and the Conditional 127

7.10 Denying a First Cause and Rise of the Naturalistic Fallacy 129

7.11 A First Cause and Our Psycho-biological Nature Being as it Ought to Be 131

7.12 Ethical Truth Favoring the Family is Inferable from Science 132

7.13 Scientific Truth Informs Truth in Art, Architecture and Music 137

7.14 Political Truth is Informed by Truths of Ethics and Science 139

7.15 Inferences in this Essay: Integratrating Truths in Science, Theology, Ethics, Art and Politics 144.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789004299740

9004299742

OCLC:

910310080