Friday, 3 September 2010

Philosophy is Dead; Long Live Philosophy?

Stephen Hawking NASA 50th (200804210008HQ)Image by nasa hq photo via Flickr

Stephen Hawking writes in his new book, The Grand Design:
Where did all this come from? Did the Universe need a creator?
...
Traditionally these are questions for philosophy, but philosophy is dead. Philosophy has not kept up with modern developments in science, particularly physics. Scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery in our quest for knowledge.

The philos won't like that. I'm also not sure that it's quite fair. I think there's still a place for philosophising, but, as with Dennett, it must be anchored in as good an understanding of modern science as can be managed by one person. That is the challenge for modern philosophy, IMHO.
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