The guesses of the Pythagoreans in astronomy, of Anaximander and Empedocles in biological evolution, and of Democritus as to the atomic constitution of matter, provided the men of Science in later times with hypotheses which, but for the philosophers, might never have entered th eir heads 2021/1/21
2021/1/21 26 ◼ The guesses of the Pythagoreans in astronomy, of Anaximander and Empedocles in biological evolution, and of Democritus as to the atomic constitution of matter, provided the men of Science in later times with hypotheses which, but for the philosophers, might never have entered their heads
a We may say that, on its theoretical side, philosophy consists, at least in part, in the framing of Large general hypotheses which science is not yet in a position to test; but when it becomes possible to test the hypotheses they become, if verified a part of science, and cease to count as philosophy. 2021/1/21
2021/1/21 27 ◼ We may say that, on its theoretical side, philosophy consists, at least in part, in the framing of Large general hypotheses which science is not yet in a position to test; but when it becomes possible to test the hypotheses they become, if verified, a part of science, and cease to count as "philosophy
The utility of philosophy, on the theoretical side is not confined to speculations which we may hope to see confirmed or confuted by science within a measurable time. Some men are so impressed by what science knows that they forget what it does not know 2021/1/21 28
2021/1/21 28 ◼ The utility of philosophy, on the theoretical side, is not confined to speculations which we may hope to see confirmed or confuted by science within a measurable time. Some men are so impressed by what science knows that they forget what it does not know;
Other are so much more interested in what it does not know than in what it does that they belittle its achievements Those who think that science is everything become complacent and cocksure, and decry all interest in problems not having the circumscribed definiteness that is necessary for scientific treatment。 2021/1/21
2021/1/21 29 ◼ Other are so much more interested in what it does not know than in what it does that they belittle its achievements. Those who think that science is everything become complacent and cocksure, and decry all interest in problems not having the circumscribed definiteness that is necessary for scientific treatment
In practical matters they tend to think that skill can take the place of wisdom. and that to kill each other by means of the latest technique is more"progressive,and therefore better, than to keep each other alive by old-fashioned methods 2021/1/21
2021/1/21 30 ◼ In practical matters they tend to think that skill can take the place of wisdom, and that to kill each other by means of the latest technique is more "progressive," and therefore better, than to keep each other alive by old-fashioned methods