i are a complex numbers LO28475

From: Jan Lelie (janlelie@wxs.nl)
Date: 05/13/02


Replying to LO28458 --

Replying to LO28458 --

Hola escuLO, dear Judy,

didn't know that about Descartes. I looked it up in my introduction to
Spinoza:

Descartes, Hobbes, Leibniz and Spinoza created the split between
theoretical/scientific and ethical/religious thought or knowledge. They
moved the human being - as God's creation - out of the centre of the
universe, like the earth was no longer the centre of the "solar system".
This split created a number of subfunctions in society: religion, science,
ethics, art, politics, economics etc. Over the ages the great philosophers
have tried to come back to one position again. In vain, yet, we are united
in this great search for ever greater complexity.

Descartes and Leibniz opted for a reconciliation between tradition and
modern science, for instance through a modern metaphysics - I think,
therefor I am. The French Enlightment thought that science and religion
are unreconciliable and choose modern science as the way to move ahead and
science will libearte us. Hume and Kant suggested that although there is
an unbridgable gap between science and ethics, we can learn to "move" in
both world and explore their boundaries.

Spinoza concluded that once you have become aware of the scientific
knowledge, the tradional way is irreveribly blocked, splitted, but that
you cannot organize all human life in a rational, scientific way. The
"ratio" alone is unable to bring salvation to the world. We can know our
"emotions" but this knowledge doesn't "solve" the problem of our
existence. He therefore adviced that religion should never dissapear as
the road to salvation for the "common" huwoman. Simplyfied:

Theology and belief are based on obediance, stories of ethics and good
deeds, moral certainty and God(s) as the example(s) of moral life; Human
nature is prone to all sorts of "make-belief", false hopes and illusions
and should be taught to behave in a right way by virtuous example and
religious teaching. This he illustrates with his analysis of the Old
Testament - from the Hebrew and Greek verions. The state - politics -
should grant everybody freedom of thought and religion. This, however,
will not be enough for everybody. Some people will want to know more. Here
comes in philosophy.

Philosophy (and science) are based on truth, rationality, intellectual
certainty and God as equal to the whole of nature (but more in terms of a
continous process: naturing nature). Because most people will not be able
to understand or follow the reasoning - he used a system of definition,
axioms and propositions -, or will be able to live according to it -
Spinoza lives like a monk - theology must suffice for most people.

As i've learned from the biography of Gullan-Whur (Spinoza), there is one
very peculiar aspect of his life and writings, which is in no way in
accordance to the hearth of his philosophy (= science). It must have to do
with experiences in his youth. He assumes that woman are incapable of
rational thought. So, there you have it. Complexity turning nasty on
itself.

Bye for now,

Jan

Judy Tal wrote:

> Descart, who's considered to be one of the (if not The) fathers of all
> western scientific disciplines of study, is also responsible for out
> tendency to embed comlex numbers into Cartesian maps: coordinates, 2x2
> matrixes, Euclides geometry (the way we see it ...) etc, etc,
>
> But if we allow ourselves sometimes, not always, to look around throu
> polar-lences (radians - for direction, and volume - for quantity (of
> energy, off course)), we may discover colors we've never seen before.

-- 

With kind regards - met vriendelijke groeten,

Jan Lelie

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