Hi John,

 

I think I’m starting to better understand what you are saying.  Let me see if I can repeat what you are talking about, to see if I’m starting to understand.

 

Darwinian evolution models only really model things like achieving more offspring.  Whereas considering cell-cell communication in embryologic development as central better models homeostasis superimposed on phylogeny.  This is a better way to understand the process of evolution.

 

I still have a question for you, about what you mean when you say: “perhaps we see 'red' when we are writhing in pain because it references bleeding as a process related to pain”.  I understand what you mean, abstractly.  But I have no idea what you mean, qualitatively.  In order to know what red means, qualitatively, you must tell me which physical quality it is a label for.  Since you never do this, I can’t know what you mean, qualitatively, when you use the term “red”.

 

So that is my question, which physical quality do you consider red to be a label for?

 

On Wed, May 15, 2019 at 6:10 AM JOHN TORDAY <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Dear Gregg, Brent, Aeon and List, if I could just jump in here, much of what is being said by all needs IMHO to be reconsidered in light of the difference between descriptive and mechanistic Biology/Physiology. So for example, semiotics is a description of what I have been referring to with respect to the centrality of cell-cell communication in embryologic development and homeostasis superimposed on phylogeny as the way to understand the process of evolution. That's very different from Darwinian evolution based on a reproductive strategy for more offspring, which is a materialistic viewpoint. In terms of Brent's quest for answering the 'Hard Question' of Qualia, I think the answer lies in the way I have recalibrated Pleiotropy, the capacity of biology to recombine/repermute the same gene for multiple purposes over the course of evolution. Up until now that phenomenon has remained a fascinoma, but seen in the context of evolution, it is explained by the pre-adaptational strategy of reutilizing genes under duress as the most economical way of solving existential problems evolutionarily. In the context of Qualia, perhaps we see 'red' when we are writhing in pain because it references bleeding as a process related to pain, the two processes being linked through common cellular-molecular signaling mechanisms. As for Aeon, I fully ascribe to the idea that we need to address how to re-synthesize philosophy and empiricism if I am correct in thinking that we've gotten evolution 'backwards' and that the unicellular state is the primary level of selection based on the emerging knowledge of epigenetic inheritance. With the Best of Intentions. John

On Wed, May 15, 2019 at 7:42 AM Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi List,

  A friend sent this essay in Aeon on the relationship between philosophy and science and the need to return to a natural philosophy approach:

https://aeon.co/essays/bring-back-science-and-philosophy-as-natural-philosophy?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=16c95a1325-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_05_13_03_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_411a82e59d-16c95a1325-69915925

 

  I am on Maxwell’s Friends of Wisdom list as I became aware of his work several months ago. It is a similar, although also different vision for philosophy and science than the ToK System offers.

Best,
G

___________________________________________

Gregg Henriques, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Graduate Psychology
216 Johnston Hall
MSC 7401
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
(540) 568-7857 (phone)
(540) 568-4747 (fax)

Be that which enhances dignity and well-being with integrity.

Check out my Theory of Knowledge blog at Psychology Today at:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/theory-knowledge

 

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