Engel claims that it does, but you can’t just claim that a conclusion follows from a set of premises, you have to demonstrate it.
My usual reply to a claim that a philosophical statement is “proven formally” is to ask for a computer program calculating the conclusion from the premises, in the claimant’s language of choice, be is C or Coq.
Yes I was. My point was that if one writes a program that purports to prove that
“eating meat is immoral” actually follow from the propositions...
then the code can be examined and the hidden assumptions and inferences explicated. In the trivial example you wrote the conclusion is assumed, so the argument that it is proven from the propositions (by this program) is falsified.
Ah. Yeah, agreed. Of course, enough philosophers disdain computer science entirely that the “arguments” most in need of such treatment would be highly unlikely to receive it. “Argument by handwaving” or “argument by intimidation” is all too common among professional philosophers.
The worst part is how awkward it feels to challenge such faux-arguments. “Uh… this… what does this… say? This… doesn’t say anything. This… this is actually just a bunch of nonsense. And the parts that aren’t nonsense are just… just false. Is this… is this really supposed to be the argument?”
That doesn’t even pass a quick inspection test for”can do something different when handed different parameters” .
The original post looks at least as good as:
int calculate_the_conclusion(string premises_acceptedbyreader[])
{
int result=0;
foreach(mypremise in reader’s premise){result++;}
return result.
}
My usual reply to a claim that a philosophical statement is “proven formally” is to ask for a computer program calculating the conclusion from the premises, in the claimant’s language of choice, be is C or Coq.
Oh, really? ;)
string calculate_the_conclusion(string the_premises[])
{
return “The conclusion. Q.E.D.”;
}
This function takes the premises as a parameter, and returns the conclusion. Criterion satisfied?
Yes, it explicates the lack of logic, which is the whole point.
I confess to being confused about your intended point. I thought you were more or less agreeing with me, but now I am not so sure?
Yes I was. My point was that if one writes a program that purports to prove that
then the code can be examined and the hidden assumptions and inferences explicated. In the trivial example you wrote the conclusion is assumed, so the argument that it is proven from the propositions (by this program) is falsified.
Ah. Yeah, agreed. Of course, enough philosophers disdain computer science entirely that the “arguments” most in need of such treatment would be highly unlikely to receive it. “Argument by handwaving” or “argument by intimidation” is all too common among professional philosophers.
The worst part is how awkward it feels to challenge such faux-arguments. “Uh… this… what does this… say? This… doesn’t say anything. This… this is actually just a bunch of nonsense. And the parts that aren’t nonsense are just… just false. Is this… is this really supposed to be the argument?”
Hence my insistence on writing it up in a way a computer would understand.
That doesn’t even pass a quick inspection test for”can do something different when handed different parameters” .
The original post looks at least as good as: int calculate_the_conclusion(string premises_acceptedbyreader[]) { int result=0; foreach(mypremise in reader’s premise){result++;} return result. }
-note the “at least”.