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Debate:The modern sciences and philosophy

May 25
Sun 2:00 PM
Location
Penderels Oak

283-288 High Holborn
London
020 7242 5669

Who attended?
Estimated attendance:  30  people attended.
4.0

The question we will be exploring is:

Have the modern sciences replaced philosophy as a way of investigating the world?

What is the place of philosophy in the modern world?

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Talk about this Meetup

  • Jim Clayson
    Posted May 11, 2008 9:28 AM
    Jim Clayson
    Not sure what to expect and don't claim to have any earth-shattering revelations on this topic but looking forward to my first meeting. One who is able to observe without distraction ... has mastered a very useful skill.
  • Posted Apr 8, 2008 8:28 PM
    neil
    Well, this sounds like a great discussion and I'm sorry to appear so anal, but surely the tem 'useful' is a very loose one to describe such a discipline as philosphy. Even engaging in trying to satisfy one's intellectual stamina can be interpreted as having use for it satisfies one's own need for enquiry. Moreover, this is to not even mention the moral foundations of many societies; take Confuciunism for instance and its position in largely forming the basis for Chinese society for 2000 years.

Who attended?

    • “ Thanks to Rachel for organizing this. I was happy to chat and hear both sides of the debate. It is a bit of a polemic topic but of course being philosophers thats why we are meeting up in the first place - to try to reach agreement over some of the really important questions. I would like to see the other format in which we break up into group and try to answer the given question/s. Nice to meet everyone. I look forward to the next meeting. ”
    • “ This was a fun and exciting discussion group. Sharp minds, polite and respectful people, and a good location to meet. I would do this again, the next time I am in town ”
    • Ian
      “ Enjoyed the meeting. It worked because it was small and intimate. ”
    • Bea (+1 guest)
      “ An interesting debate. Most people were respectful to one another. One gentleman had quite an aggressive style which was a bit offputting however. ”
    • “ The debate digressed a lot from the main questions for enquiry and often went off-topic, such as discusing 9/11 conspiracies. I think the major problem is the lack of a facilitator, of a neutral who's role is to ensure everyone participates, that the discussion stays on track, that people's ideas are being valued and people listen to each other. I don't think the discussion achieved a lot and did not give me a sense of philosophical engagement. I did not engage in higher order thinking, which is what I expect in philosophy. The system in place was that people had to jump in discussion interrupting others, thus creating an environment of who's got the loudest voice or who's got the fastest not the most thoughtful response. i apologise for being overly critical, yet i feel this is what philosophy is about. it's about stepping back and being honest and critical. i don't want to destroy but to give ideas for reconstruction, i feel this group needs some rethinking of how it's arranged ”
    • Q