Jan
26

Richard Feynman and Pseudoscience.

About my last post on the “Physics envy”, it seems some misinterpretations have arisen. I’d like try to explain my position, pretty in accordance certainly with the Feynman opinion above (please note that “pseudoscience” is no offense intended in this case. “pseudo-hard science” might be more appropriate here).

- No one is criticizing the validity and usefulness of the Social Sciences. In my opinion Science is nothing without Humanities. And Social Sciences should be considered as one fundamental part of humanities, even though now and then they use mathematics and other tools from the Scientific Method.

- This debate it’s a epistemologic question. Or a methodological issue. Do they really need the social sciences resemble to the hard sciences? No, in my opinion they do not. Mathematics are world heritage, any scientist of any branch of knowledge has every right to use them as it sees fit.

- More delicate is the case of biology. Biologists victims of this syndrome usually forget that the success of the integration of Physics with Mathematics is a consequence of its fundamental nature, Physics can only deal with simple systems (or simplifiable systems). We need Chemistry, Biology and Medicine to advance the knowledge of Nature. In short, I think “Physics envy” is the failure in noting this aspect.

So be quiet, guys, nobody attacks the Social Sciences or the Soft Sciences, there is no need to be defensive. All branches of knowledge have their place in this world.

Additional readings:

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Notes

  1. h0ll0wp0intsmile reblogged this from scienceisbeauty
  2. tdaugherty reblogged this from scienceisbeauty
  3. cyborgsaintgottimeforthat reblogged this from fuckyeahfeynman
  4. elgranjawar reblogged this from scienceisbeauty
  5. ways-of-seeing reblogged this from scienceisbeauty and added:
    Good sources. Nicely summed up.
  6. 1auaway reblogged this from fuckyeahfeynman and added:
    My favorite.
  7. fuckyeahfeynman reblogged this from fuckyeahquantummechanics
  8. aurelene reblogged this from teaandcharcoal
  9. avianarchitext reblogged this from fuckyeahquantummechanics
  10. hitrecord93 reblogged this from scienceisbeauty and added:
    Damn thats rite!
  11. augmentedalchemist reblogged this from scienceisbeauty
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  13. danyterrence reblogged this from scienceisbeauty and added:
    Richard Feynman, my favorite physicist.