[net.philosophy] Social sciences & subjective experience

flink@umcp-cs.UUCP (Paul V. Torek) (06/09/85)

In article <1310011@acf4.UUCP> mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) 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?
>
>No, it only limits them.

It seems to limit psychology drastically.  I think your comment (>>>)
was an overstatement at best.  For one thing, I think it may in principle
be possible to explain/correlate subjective experience with neurobiological
events.

mms1646@acf4.UUCP (06/11/85)

>/* flink@umcp-cs.UUCP (Paul V. Torek) /  3:39 pm  Jun  9, 1985 */

>It seems to limit psychology drastically.  I think your comment (>>>)
>was an overstatement at best.  For one thing, I think it may in principle
>be possible to explain/correlate subjective experience with neurobiological
>events.

It may be possible and then again it may not be.  Personally, I expect that
certain psychological phenomena are accompanied by certain physical phenomena.
But my beliefs don't qualify as science.