Early Stoic Determinism

2021 ◽  
pp. 217-252
Author(s):  
Susanne Bobzien
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Explanation ◽  
Active Principle ◽  
Causal Determinism ◽  
Efficient Causality ◽  
The World ◽  
Efficient Causation ◽  
Science And Theology ◽  
Mechanical Elements

This chapter pursues the question how teleological elements and efficient causation were merged in early Stoic cosmology. Stoic determinism is originally introduced in teleological terms, built on a distinction between a global and an inner-worldly perspective on events, in which Nature is the global active principle that determines all inner-worldly events. Additionally, Chrysippus’ efficient causality connects inner-worldly causes and their effects and is used to construct a contemporary-style universal causal determinism. The teleological and seemingly mechanical elements are combined in the early Stoic concept of fate (heimarmenē). The Stoics present details of this combination in biological and psychological analogies. It emerges that the early Stoic theories of Nature as world seed and world soul and world agent offer a fascinating solution to the question how science and theology, in particular predetermination, can be joined consistently within cosmology: theological and scientific explanation of the world are two complementary explanations of the same thing.

Physics, Structure, and Reality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill North
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Realism ◽  
Physical Theory ◽  
Scientific Explanation ◽  
Classical Mechanics ◽  
Careful Attention ◽  
Coordinate Systems ◽  
Spacetime Structure ◽  
The World ◽  
Background Assumption ◽  
And Mathematics

How do we figure out the nature of the world from a mathematically formulated physical theory? What do we infer about the world when a physical theory can be mathematically formulated in different ways? Physics, Structure, and Reality addresses these questions, questions that get to the heart of the project of interpreting physics—of figuring out what physics is telling us about the world. North argues that there is a certain notion of structure, implicit in physics and mathematics, that we should pay careful attention to, and that doing so sheds light on these questions concerning what physics is telling us about the nature of reality. Along the way, lessons are drawn for related topics such as the use of coordinate systems in physics, the differences among various formulations of classical mechanics, the nature of spacetime structure, the equivalence of physical theories, and the importance of scientific explanation. Although the book does not explicitly defend scientific realism, instead taking this to be a background assumption, the account provides an indirect case for realism toward our best theories of physics.

scholarly journals Norma dan Nilai dalam Ilmu Ekonomi Islam

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-123
Author(s):  
Nurul Fahmi
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Economic Problems ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Norms And Values ◽  
The World ◽  
Science And Theology ◽  
Set Up

Islam has been set up with the norms and values in each discipline of knowledge. Including Islamic economics, Islamic economics as a social science and theology is not only derived from the Qur'an and as-Sunnah, but also stems from empirical phenomena and economic problems in the field. Epistemologically, Islamic economics is divided into two disciplines: First, normative Islamic economics, which is the study of Islamic sharia laws relating to property affairs and treasures. Second, positive Islamic economics, which is the study of Islamic concepts relating to property affairs and treasures, especially with regard to the production of goods and services. Norms and values created in Islamic economics aims to provide moral and ethical order in the economy itself, because it is basically the purpose of Islamic economics in the world is reaching the livelihoods and happiness in the Hereafter (hayatun thoyyibah and falah both in this world and in the hereafter)

scholarly journals PATHYAPATHYA IN PRAMEHA

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1806-1814
Author(s):  
Ripsa Raj K. P ◽  
P Sudhakar Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Scientific Explanation ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Clinical Entity ◽  
Causative Factors ◽  
The World ◽  
Growing Population

Diabetes mellitus is becoming the fastest considerable disease in the world. India has been estimated with the fast- est-growing population of Diabetics. According to International Diabetic Federation (IDF), the total number of Diabetic subjects will be around 151 million in India by 2045. The clinical entity of Prameha can be correlated with Diabetes Mellitus. It is considered a Lifestyle disorder, the food, drinks and sedentary habits are having a great influence on this disorder. In Ayurveda classics elaborately mentioned the Nidana (causative factors) and Pathya ahara (wholesome food & drinks) and Apathya ahara (unwholesome food & drinks), Pathya Vihara (Conducive lifestyle) and Apathya Vihara (Non-Conducive lifestyle) of Prameha. The classification of Prameha as per Susruta Samhita as Apathya nimittaja Prameha and Beeja doshaja Prameha indicates the importance of Ahara and Vihara in prevention as well as management of this disease. In this article, a sincere attempt has been made to incorporate the principles of Ayurveda and Modern medical science with a scientific explanation regarding Pathya (Diet) and Vihara (lifestyle) in Prameha (Diabetes Mellitus). Keywords: Pathya, Apathya, Prameha, Ahara, Vihara.

The Credulity of Conspiracy Theorists

2018 ◽  
pp. 422-431
Author(s):  
Brian L. Keeley
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
Scientific Explanation ◽  
Social World ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
Rational Inquiry

Where does entertaining (or promoting) conspiracy theories stand with respect to rational inquiry? According to one view, conspiracy theorists are open-minded skeptics, being careful not to accept uncritically common wisdom, exploring alternative explanations of events no matter how unlikely they might seem at first glance. Seen this way, they are akin to scientists attempting to explain the social world. On the other hand, they are also sometimes seen as overly credulous, believing everything they read on the Internet, say. In addition to conspiracy theorists and scientists, another significant form of explanation of the events of the world can be found in religious contexts, such as when a disaster is explained as being an “act of God.” By comparing conspiratorial thinking with scientific and religious forms of explanation, features of all three are brought into clearer focus. For example, anomalies and a commitment to naturalist explanation are seen as important elements of scientific explanation, although the details are less clear. This paper uses conspiracy theories as a lens through which to investigate rational or scientific inquiry. In addition, a better understanding of the scientific method as it might be applied in the study of events of interest to conspiracy theorists can help understand their epistemic virtues and vices.

Was Kent a Hahnemannian?

1999 ◽  
Vol 88 (02) ◽  
pp. 78-83
Author(s):  
A Cassam
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Explanation ◽  
The World ◽  
Gradual Development

AbstractThis article voices concern at the trend among an influential section of homeopaths the world over, to jettison Hahnemann’s similimum principle and replace it with Kent’s almost exclusive concentration on mental and psychic symptoms. This concern raises the question whether Kent was a true Hahnemannian.In order to discuss this question, two schools of thoughts are investigated. The first argues that Hahnemann’s theories were scientific whereas Kent’s were metaphysical. The second criticises Kent’s more severely for being metaphysical. At the same time, it accuses Hahnemann himself of increasingly losing his way, with increasing age, into metaphysical homeopathy.The author believes there was no break in Hahnemann’s thinking as alleged, but a gradual development with increasing experience, together with judicious use of rational insight, when scientific explanation was not yet available. The yardstick used to accuse Hahnemann of being metaphysical is crudely empirical and long outdated.

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