Arguments (inferences) in physics

[Steven French]

Pentcho,
You have raised the same issues and asked the same questions across various lists. I, and others, have repeatedly urged you to do some relevant reading and have suggested that the questions you are asking - in a manner that suggests that no-one else has asked them or that philosophers and physicists alike have been ignoring them - have in fact been discussed in the literature. Some of us are suspicious that your motivation is not to generate honest debate but to spread some form of conspiracy theory (eg your postings on Einstein). If you are genuinely interested in the issue of inconsistency in science then why not read some of the literature on this subject and re-pose your question in the light of what the likes of Priest, Meheus and others have said?
As for the specific question itself, of course I am not suggesting that it should *only* be given the answer 'no' - there has been considerable discussion of this issue with some arguing that a form of non-standard logic must be applied, others insisting that is not necessary and still others maintaining that inconsistency (understood in various ways) must not be tolerated at all. I am merely suggesting that you do some appropriate background reading before posting what may to some seem a provocative question.
And its not as if you're some shiny young PhD student or someone who's just entered the field, full of questions and issues to discuss - you are in fact a 'serial poster' who seems intent on posting the same questions across a range of electronic boards and resolutely ignoring the responses given by those who are genuinely interested in debate. 
Its not my ethics that needs examination!
cheers,
Steven


-----Original Message-----
From:	Pentcho Valev [mailto:valevp at bas.bg]
Sent:	Wed 1/26/2005 07:24
To:	philphys at philosophy.elte.hu
Cc:	Steven French
Subject:	Re: Arguments (inferences) in physics
Steven,

It is so difficult to initiate a discussion on a serious mailing list and
the reason, I am afraid, are interferences like yours. Let us assume you
are right and my writings are extremely incompetent, mad etc. Still why
should the question "Should a physical theory that has been proved to be an
inconsistency be rejected?" be only given the answer " firm 'no', or at
least 'not necessarily' "? Is that enough? Would another incompetent person
decide to raise a problem on the list knowing that he/she may be called
"mad" as a result? I simply don't understand your ethics.

Pentcho

Steven French wrote:

> Pentcho, Pentcho, Pentcho,
>
> As I have told you elsewhere, there have been numerous discussions in
> the literature concerning inconsistency in science (eg the book edited
> by J. Meheus helpfully entitled,  Inconsistency in Science!) and the
> likes of Newton da Costa, Graham Priest, Joel Smith, John Norton,
> Diderik Batens, Joke Meheus and others would answer your question
>
> > Should a physical theory that has been proved to be an
> > inconsistency be rejected?
>
> with a firm 'no', or at least 'not necessarily'!
>
> Why don't you do some reading instead of posting these mad missives to
> philos-l? In particular why don;t you take a look at Prof. Meheus' work
> on Carnot, since that may be more to your thermodymanical taste.
>
> cheers,
> Steven
> Steven French
> Professor of Philosophy of Science
> Division of History and Philosophy of Science
> School of Philosophy
> University of Leeds
> Leeds LS2 9JT
>
> Tel: 0113 3433279
> Fax: 0113 343 3265
> Email: s.r.d.french at leeds.ac.uk
> http://www.philosophy.leeds.ac.uk/Staff/SF/Index.htm
>
> Editor-in-Chief, Metascience
> http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/0815-0796/current
>
> "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it does not go away."
> (Philip K, Dick)
>
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