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Someone asks “Why Does Neil deGrasse Tyson Hate Philosophy?”

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That someone being Anthony M. Mills at Real Clear Science:

Fortunately for the progress of science, Albert Einstein didn’t take this attitude. According to him, studying the “history and philosophy of science” provides an “independence” from generational “prejudices” necessary for creative thought. Moreover, the “independence created by philosophical insight is,” Einstein thought, “the mark of distinction between a mere artisan or specialist and a real seeker after truth.” By enabling one to see the “forest” rather than the “trees,” a philosophical understanding of scientific history is indispensable for understanding — and even practicing — science.

Okay, but what if you don’t want

“independence” from generational “prejudices” necessary for creative thought.

What if you want people to take every current flimflam and flapdoodle aired in popular science media such as Tyson’s as some sort of truth to be acted on?

That’s certainly been the message of the most recent episode of his remake of Cosmos : the crackpot’s panspermia, Gaia hypothesis, and as-if Star Trek.

As noted earlier, de Grasse Tyson’s team decided that what the world needs to hear right now is their own scattered reflections about, well, all kinds of stuff they care about. And think of it as “science.”

Nobody who intends to get all his pet causes adopted as “science” would like philosophy.

See also: The Science Fictions series at your fingertips (cosmology).

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Comments
Acartia @ 5:
But isn’t that the fundamental philosophy of religion? You can investigate anything you want, but don’t examine the foundations of your belief?
No. No, it's not. One of the basic tenets of true Christianity is that God is not hard to find. He had the Bible written in plain language that is easily understood. His Son said: “Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7, New English Bible) This promise assures that, when a person finds parts of the Bible difficult to understand, he can receive help. But he must first really want to know about God and his purpose, then he must ask God and show his sincere desire by looking into the Bible. He can be assured that God wants to and will help him to understand and to take the life-giving course. Says the Bible: “The LORD is good and upright; therefore he teaches sinners the way they should go. If there is any man who fears the LORD, he shall be shown the path that he should choose. The LORD confides his purposes to those who fear him.”—Ps. 25:8, 12, 14, NE.Barb
May 24, 2014
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@Acartia Acartia, what do you think about Brute Facts/Realities? And no, this isn't my usual ramblings about Nihilism being the most reasonable position for an Atheist to have, this actually has a purpose this time.VunderGuy
May 23, 2014
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Acartia, A fundamental philosophy of religion? How do you arrive at that assessment? For over 2,000 years Christians have examined the foundations of their beliefs in an intellectual endeavor called theology. Have you done your own homework, or are you just guessing?CannuckianYankee
May 23, 2014
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Atheist cosmologists hate philosophy because it points out errors in their science or their reason, or both. They hate philosophy like an inveterate drunk driver hates the police.mrgriswold
May 23, 2014
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@ collin 4: "Don’t look behind the curtain!" But isn't that the fundamental philosophy of religion? You can investigate anything you want, but don't examine the foundations of your belief?Acartia_bogart
May 23, 2014
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Don't look behind the curtain!Collin
May 23, 2014
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Credulous wonder can be endearing in fourteen-year-olds. In overripe adults, not so much.jstanley01
May 23, 2014
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PS: That we see advocates of scientism denigrating philosophy like this may be a back-handed way of implying that they have lost the high ground on worldviews foundations, epistemology (including phil of sci) and ethics.kairosfocus
May 23, 2014
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News, this is a sobering issue, and Einstein is manifestly right. KFkairosfocus
May 23, 2014
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