Posted by Scott L. Schofield on November 30, 1999, at 12:26:39
In reply to Re: gack!, posted by Bob on November 28, 1999, at 17:23:11
> But the Infinite Monkey Hypothesis has nothing really to do with evolution or God, but exists only as an amusing metaphor for "perfect" random generator -- one that produces every possible combination of letter-strings from one letter in length to whatever. I could have easily said that I could produce War and Peace by closing my eyes and poking randomly at my keyboard, given enough time (an infinite amount being certainly enough), but that's not so silly a metaphor.
Got ya'
> > As far as truth is concerned - that there may be more than one truth, or that the truth may be unknowable, or that there may be no truth at all, still all represent one Truth?> Well, that is the crux of the matter, isn't it? This is where some say the positivists led us wrong. By asserting that scientific understanding (whether derived at thru empirical research or rational argument) identifies what is True Knowledge, they mix up the issues of being and knowing. As a result, western philosophy (since the time of Locke or so) has made next to no progress on ontological issues and has some screwed up epistemological issues by assuming that coming to know the Truth included being able to identify what is True.
>
> Geez, I hope that made sense.It did.
> Seems perfectly sensible to me, and that's what worries me ;^).
poster:Scott L. Schofield
thread:14368
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991123/msgs/15989.html