Re: Book notice - Creaven, Marxism and Realism

["Charles Brown" <CharlesB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>> mh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 01/04/01 04:58PM >>>
Jim, Yoshie:

Neither my comments on Creaven, nor Porpora's article on the quantum
dispute, maintain that the observer somehow creates reality or
countenance Berkleian or subjective idealism - on the contrary. Please
read posts carefully before responding.

The question (among others) they do raise is objective materialism vs
objective idealism, more concretely what 'rock bottom reality' for
science currently *is*. On Porpora's account it is 'quantum seas of
potentia', in which reality is 'non-local' i.e. defies a known physical
law of the universe, viz. the speed of light. Are these seas 'material'
or 'ideal'?

(((((((((((

CB: Why does the question of materiality arise because science runs into 
phenomena
that don't fit current theories ?  That is the whole life of science, as 
relative
truth in a dialectic with absolute truth. New theories arise in science when new
empirical evidence contradicts old theories. In the period in which new 
theories are
sought, it is not necessary to throw all of  materialism into to doubt everytime
science is in that phase of not having the new theories yet.

(((((((((

And what lies beyond them? You tell me. The 'facts of
evolution' are not at issue - if reality is ultimately 'godstuff' rather
than 'matter', evolution can still occur.

Mervyn

J