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[Phys-l] Physicist Steven Weinberg's Essay "AGAINST PHILOSOPHY" (was "References for Hermeneutics of Physics")

Some subscribers to Phys-L might be interested in a recent post "Physicist Steven Weinberg's Essay 'AGAINST PHILOSOPHY' (was 'References for Hermeneutics of Physics') " [Hake (2012)]. The abstract reads:

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ABSTRACT: Faye Pasamonte of the PhysLrnR list requested references on the "hermeneutics of physics." [An online dictionary tells me that hermeneutics is "the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, esp. of the Bible or literary texts."] My relay of her request - along with a dismissal of hermeneutics by philosopher Denis Phillips - to the HOPOS-L list (History of Philosophy of Science) initiated a 20-post thread replete with references and a mix of opinions on the value of hermeneutics. Philosopher George Gale, a hermeneutics skeptic, wrote (paraphrasing) "Steven Weinberg in Chapter 7 'AGAINST PHILOSOPHY' of his book 'Dreams of a Final Theory' holds his own pretty damn well against the despised philosophers."

Weinberg wrote: ". . . we should not expect it [philosophy] to provide today's scientists with any useful guidance about how to go about their work or about what they are likely to find. . . . After surveying three decades of professional writings in the philosophy of science, the philosopher George Gale. . . . .[[in "Science and the Philosophers" (Gale, 1984)]]. . . . . concludes that 'THESE ALMOST ARCANE DISCUSSIONS, VERGING ON THE SCHOLASTIC, COULD HAVE INTERESTED ONLY THE SMALLEST NUMBER OF PRACTICING SCIENTISTS.'. . . . . . . . .[[my CAPS]]. . . . Wittgenstein (1980) wrote that 'nothing seems to me less likely than that a scientist or mathematician who reads me should be seriously influenced in the way he works.' "
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To access the complete 15 kB post please click on <http://bit.ly/xupPFH>.

Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
Honorary Member, Curmudgeon Lodge of Deventer, The Netherlands
President, PEdants for Definitive Academic References
which Recognize the Invention of the Internet (PEDARRII)
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
Links to Articles: <http://bit.ly/a6M5y0>
Links to SDI Labs: <http://bit.ly/9nGd3M>
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REFERENCES [URL's shortened by <http://bit.ly/> and accessed on 20 Feb 2012.]

Hake, R.R. 2012. "Physicist Steven Weinberg's Essay 'AGAINST PHILOSOPHY' (was 'References for Hermeneutics of Physics'), " online on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at <http://bit.ly/xupPFH>. Post of 20 Feb 2012 16:48:24-0800 to AERA-L and Net-Gold. The abstract and link to the complete post are being transmitted to several discussion lists and are also on my blog "Hake'sEdStuff" at <http://bit.ly/zWfVlX> with a provision for comments.