From: David Buchanan (DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org)
Date: Sun Apr 06 2003 - 01:33:39 BST
Scott, Matt and all:
Scott said:
I accuse(Rorty)of espousing Darwinism and the mind-brain identity
hypothesis.
These are hallmarks of materialism, and non-materialists deny them. Since
there is no convincing scientific evidence for either, and reasons to doubt
both (and reasons to affirm both), why is this espousal not metaphysical?
...............................................That is, Rorty assumes that
thorough knowledge of neural activity will show that our mental vocabulary
is replacable by a physical vocabulary. This is a metaphysical assumption.
DMB says:
Well said. I was very impressed with Rorty's tale of the hypothetical
Antipodeans, so much that I now plan to write a children's book based on it.
Just kidding.
I'm pretty much with Scott on this. Matt seems to think the slogans of
pragmatism can save Rorty from having metaphysical assumptions, as if they
were magic words that granted immunity. Scott seems to be saying he detects
these assumptions whether Rorty wants to acknowledge it or not. This kind of
circularity, exhibiting the assumptions even as you deny them, is just one
example of what Wilber calls a "preformative contradiction". Extreme
postmodern positions are loaded with 'em. Like a parrot who is correct to
say hello when one enters the room, Platt is correct to point out at least
one of these preformative contradictions - repeatedly. (Yes Matt, I mean you
and Rorty.) Anyway, I smell the materialistic assumptions too. It seems to
creep into most of what Rorty says, especially in terms of what's been
posted here. The mind-brain identity language strikes me as not just
materialism, but pretty hard-core reductionist materialism. And this view is
not unrelated to the amorality and nihilism I've detected in other areas of
Rorty's thinking. Its all this kind of stuff that makes me think Rorty's
take is SO at odds with the MOQ's mysticism. I'm not even surprized to hear
that Rorty thinks nothing is lost when "wonder" becomes merely "G-14
quivers". At least he's consistent. I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but it
all seems like dinner without food. Its a warm, flat coke. Its full of
emptiness. And I don't mean that in a good way, in the Zen way. I think its
the kind of thing that the MOQ was born to kill.
Thanks,
DMB
P.S. Its all about me.
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