ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) (06/10/85)
>> Individual subjective experience is by definition external to >> the universe of science, since the scientific method involves >> by definition phenomena that are verifiable by independent >> observers. > >Does this mean that the social sciences aren't sciences? - Paul Torek No. The social sciences tend to study the RESPONSES of large groups of people statistically, in hopes of achieving repeatable results. Note that objective effects are being observed, such as `how did most subjects respond to a sequence of stimuli?'. Nonscientific disciplines that frequently focus on INDIVIDUAL subjective experience are Zen/Ch'an, and sometimes NeoConfucianism, existentialist philosophy, Sufism, religious metaphysics, etc. The focus here is the subjective experience of pure awareness itself. SMASH CAUSALITY!!! -michael
mms1646@acf4.UUCP (06/11/85)
>/* ellis@spar.UUCP / 4:12 am Jun 10, 1985 */ > Nonscientific disciplines that frequently focus on INDIVIDUAL subjective > experience are Zen/Ch'an, and sometimes NeoConfucianism, existentialist > philosophy, Sufism, religious metaphysics, etc. The focus here is > the subjective experience of pure awareness itself. Doesn't a significant part of psychology fall into this category also?
mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (06/12/85)
}iOrganization: University of Maryland, Computer Science Dept. In article <304@spar.UUCP> ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) writes: >>> Individual subjective experience is by definition external to >>> the universe of science, since the scientific method involves >>> by definition phenomena that are verifiable by independent >>> observers. >>Does this mean that the social sciences aren't sciences? - Paul Torek > No. > The social sciences tend to study the RESPONSES of large groups of > people statistically, in hopes of achieving repeatable results. > Note that objective effects are being observed, such as `how > did most subjects respond to a sequence of stimuli?'. This statement is only true of behaviorist studies; other schools do indeed concern themselves with observations of inner states, which by their very nature must be subjective. Charley Wingate umcp-cs!mangoe