Why Beliefs Matter: Reflections on the Nature of Science 1st Edition by E. Brian Davies (PDF)

Description

In the follow-up to his acclaimed Science in the Looking Glass, Brian Davies discusses deep problems about our place in the world, using a minimum of technical jargon. The book argues that ‘absolutist’ ideas of the objectivity of science, dating back to Plato, continue to mislead generations of both theoretical physicists and theologians. It explains that the multi-layered nature of our present descriptions of the world is unavoidable, not because ofanything about the world, but because of our own human natures. It tries to rescue mathematics from the singular and exceptional status that it has been assigned, as much by those who understand it as by those who do not. Working throughout from direct quotations from many of the important contributors to itssubject, it concludes with a penetrating criticism of many of the recent contributions to the often acrimonious debates about science and religions.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Best book I read during Covid lock down. I will read it again. Wide ranging ideas. Well argued rejection of the platonic realm. Gave me more to ponder then books twice as big.

⭐This book takes amazingly complicated problems and breaks them down into their respective roots. It has provided me with conversational fodder and was so interesting it has added to my PhD work. I highly recommend it to those who were trained in the STEM fields.

⭐Well written and concise reflection on the knowledge transmitted to persons educated in Western Philosophy, Theology, Math, Science, History. Literature and Religion. One appreciates the great progress made from the 15th century to the present, but also the limits still in man’s understanding of the universe, despite claims by Science and Religion that we have found the ultimate and final answer to our existence and the secrets of the universe. I recommend everyone who thinks they have the final answers to read this book and compare what they they think they know to what they may really know about reality and existence.

⭐Unfortunately I don’t have time to write out a full review with details but I wanted to share with anyone else contemplating buying this book my high opinion of the author’s philosophical dissertations. The general theme is straightforward, a world-view is inherent in scientific theories even such purely mathematical ones as physics and these world-views cannot be ignored despite the desire of the scientists themselves to avoid their mention. Reductionism works well in physics but it cannot fully explain the universe, for this we need other standpoints which are just as important. The ex. that sticks in my mind is this: how do you explain why math is useful to a child? (To do this you have to go far beyond math itself.)It’s amazing how much ground the author covers in this less than 250 pp. book, an exploration of the scientific method, human consciousness and related puzzles of explanation, the troublesome issue of mathematics as ‘real’ or invented, physics theories and their limitations, and finally a chapter on religion and belief in god. The book is far from being religious, though it opens the door to religion in the end. It very intelligently discusses all these conundrums of science– how does complexity enter into the picture, to what degree can we really simplify all physics into a theory of everything, what are the limitations of experiments (eg bigger particle accelerators) which will lead to a dead end, the controversial anthropic principle, artificial intelligence and its over-hype, etc. Some of these topics were covered in The quark and the jaguar by Gell-Mann and The end of science by John Horgan but not quite with the depth of philosophical analysis.The chapter on mathematics is particularly well thought out, outlining the opposite viewpoints of math as human cultural invention and math as platonic ideal in Penrose’s writings. The mystery of platonism (in what place do the truths of mathematics inhabit?) is suggested to be less mysterious on closer dissection.It is wonderful to see a scientist engaging in these ultimate truth considerations of philosophy, the nature of the universe, the ‘dreams of a final theory’ of physics, consciousness and existence, the meaning of mathematics. Even though answers are not forthcoming, the profound analysis of science makes this highly satisfying.

⭐E. B. Davies starts quite well and when he deals with the fields he’s competent in, like science, mathematics and philosophy of science, he is quite informative and interesting, although he does not really go into depth as one might desire.The best part of the book is probably his treatment of mathematics, however, even there he seems to fail to provide enough good arguments for his position and his rejection of mathematical Platonism.Even if I agree with EB Davies on many things regarding the nature of mathematics I think that the book by James Frakling “An Aristotelian Realist Philosophy of Mathematics: Mathematics as the Science of Quantity and Structure” more interesting, deeper and has put forwards fare better arguments.When he starts dealing with theology, philosphy of the mind and other subjects, however, he becomes really shabby. He reports few of thge more popular opinions around but it clearly show that Davies is out of his element and that is not very informed in theology, philosophy of mind and general metaphysics.In the end this book tries to cover too much and too many subjects where the author clearly is not well-informed enough.The main problem is that Davies is simply unable to settle the various debates (in particular the one on the nature of mathematics, which is his forte) in just a few pages.Still it is a quite interesting read, but as a philosophical work it just does not cut it.

⭐This book is amazing! I heard of it from Micheal on and episode of VSauce. It’s every bit as good of a read as he said.It’s a beautiful testimony to the need for sincere belief in science and philosophy. Great read for those that like to have their minds enriched by new ideas.I would purchase the book again … if I needed to, one is good enough for now … I think.

⭐Meiner Meinung nach ein extrem spannendes Buch.Die Inhalte sind gut recherchiert und der Autor vermischt den Stand der Wissenschaft nur selten mit seiner eigenen Meinung.Leider ist es nicht sehr flüssig geschrieben…

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⭐it’s a nice book but it difficultly passes it’s central message. Had to read many pages to really get what he wants us to understand and he doesn’t really clarify his point. He says things which should in turn be easily linked to the theme of the book. And in my opinion that’s not the case. I just see myself to be reading the history of science thinking.

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