Mystery 101 : introduction to the big questions and the limits of human knowledge / Richard H. Jones.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jones, Richard H., 1951- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Knowledge, Theory of.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (216 pages)

Place of Publication:

Albany, New York : State University of New York, 2018.

Summary:

Offering readers much to ponder, Richard H. Jones approaches the "big questions" of philosophy such as the nature of reality, consciousness, free will, the existence of God, and the meaning of life not by weighing the merits of leading arguments in these debates, but instead by questioning the extent to which we are even in a position to answer such questions in the first place. Regardless of continuous technical and even groundbreaking advances in knowledge, there will always be gaps in what we can fully understand. Distinguishing true mysteries from problems yet to be solved but within the scope of our intellectual grasp, Jones provides a penetrating and high-level overview of the scope and limits of scientific and philosophical inquiry.

Contents:

Philosophy of mystery

Do we create our own mysteries?

Do we know anything at all?

What is reality?

Why is there something rather than nothing?

Why is nature ordered?

Reductionism and emergence

Does science dispel mystery?

What of current mysteries in physics and cosmology?

What of current mysteries in biology?

What am i?

What is consciousness?

Do we have free will?

Does god exist?

Is there an objective meaning to our lives?

The mystery of the ordinary.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781438468228

1438468229