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Added March 22, 2008
"In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual" Galileo Galilei
When watching a silly B movie I heard this, with credit given to Galileo, and quickly scribbled a few words so I could remember to look up a phrase. I am always looking for arguments against objective reality.
Does the statement say one person knows truth and reality as if by luck while many others do not, or does the statement speak to the power of self? What magic lies with truth, as if supernaturally, truth can find at least one oracle? There is no truth. There is only individual expression.
Added October 4, 2006
Empiricism stands in contrast to rationalism, materialism, physicalism, realism, objective reality, and various other views descended from Platonic Realism. These posture static, a priori objects and truths independent of individual minds. Rationalism and empiricism contrast each other historically. Subjectivism is a more personal, radical extension of empiricism. Due to the broad scope of disagreement between rationalism and empiricism, many things are labeled subjective which simply are not. For instance religion is often said to be subjective, but religion is based on rationalism, to the extent rationalism provides a priori objects, and religion provides a god that created those objects. Scientific victories have been empiricism winning over rationalism, and the protections given rationalism by religion.
Added September 29, 2006
Please view the following definitions from Webster:
realism,
rationalism,
objectivism,
objective,
empirical,
subjective
And Wikipedia:
realism,
rationalism,
empirical,
subjective,
intersubjective verifiability
When reading about these terms, note their use historically, and note the long standing contrast between rationalism and empiricism.
Subjectivism challenges realism, materialism, physicalism, rationalism, or whatever similar name. They are the same, originating with Plato, and form the foundation of Western philosophy. The problem with Western philosophy is that it is often top-down and based on authority, rather than based on logic alone. Plato believed in a divine being with "first cause". Of course religion has to do with god, and since Western philosophy is interwoven with religion and religious tradition, Western philosophy is very concerned with "what is", or stated differently "what god made". Though atheists and agnostics today speak of materialism, they do not understand materialism is an expression of godly authority, and though they use materialism to challenge religion, with it they end up aiding religionists.
Subjectivism means we make everything up as we go along. Things come to exist as they are given definitions by us. Literally, nothing exists prior to it being given a definition, because logically it cannot be said what does or does not exist prior to that.
Objectivity does not refer to what is proved through ethical analysis, experimentation, and validation. Objectivity refers to whatever true object. If someone has an idea, the idea is objective if it corresponds to whatever true object, or if the idea properly describes a true object. So, true objects already exist first, and our ideas may or may not properly describe them. Is this beginning to sound like rationalism? How do we know what true objects there are? How do we know if we are properly describing true objects?
Contemporarily, objectivity and rationalism have been modified. If after exhaustive tests, new ideas survive those tests, it is assumed a new idea corresponds to whatever underlying true object, the new idea is true, and the new idea is reality. Unfortunately, true objects are created by a supreme being having first cause, and from that, reality is created and established by god. Ever wonder why modern science can't quite shake religion?
Throughout history, kings and priests had authority to say what was and was not true; what was and was not an object. This is the problem with having knowledge, truth, and reality based on authority.
Subjectivism throws out authority and bases truth on whether ideas can be effectively argued and proved with accepted rules of logic. We live in a dynamic environment without beginning, end, or purpose, save our own purpose.
my original site: http://nonspiritual.com
The subjectivist.org domain is used for email at this time. When I decide what content to add for a better web site, I will do that. Please email suggestions to webmaster(at)subjectivist.org.
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