From: Kevin (kevin@xap.com)
Date: Mon Jan 13 2003 - 23:28:50 GMT
Matt and Platt,
I thought we went the rounds about "truth criteria" before in another
thread?
Aside from the fact that the flat earth theory was considered at the
time it was widely held to be logically consistent, in agreement with
experience and economical.....
Are you familiar with the film Harvey (1950) starring Jimmy Stewart?
Elwood P. Dowd (played by Stewart) believes he is in the company of a 6'
rabbit named Harvey who is invisible to all but him. Everyone thinks
Elwood is nuts.
Harvey tells Elwood he is a pooka (websters dict. A mischievous spirit
in Irish folklore) and therefore capable of extraordinary things,
including being selectively visible. This explanation suffices for
Elwood, but not for everyone else. Elwood explains that Harvey is a
pooka to everyone else, but they still think Elwood is nuts (perhaps
more so).
Of course, at the end of the film Harvey reveals himself to Elwood's
psychologist and leaves Elwood's company. He is still invisible to
everyone outside of Elwood and Dr. Chumley, but now Harvey's existence
is no longer merely Elwood's opinion.
Is Harvey real? Is he logically consistent, in agreement with
experience, and economical in terms of explanation? Well, from Elwood's
perspective--yes. From everyone else's--no.
How do we determine the truth about Harvey?
If we were Irishmen familiar with stories about pookas would that change
our minds?
If we lived in the 11th Century and Elwood was Pope would that change
our minds?
If Elwood was a world-famous scientist?
If Elwood was a philosopher named Pirsig and his pooka was named
Quality, would that change our minds?
In my mind, it's not a question about Harvey. It's not a question about
Elwood. It's a question about ourselves and our worldview. Are we
dynamic enough to allow for an Elwood in our society? Is our worldview
too static to assimilate and explain a pooka?
It's a question of dogma. (err, rabbit-ma)?
-Kevin
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