Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

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Richard Smyth at UNC-CH

Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

Legg inn av Richard Smyth at UNC-CH » 25 aug 2007 15:17:34

In the real world there are no examples of causal connections that
are not discussions of causes which will only be partial, relative, or
contributory.

This bizarre statement resonates in a sort of intellectual chamber of
mirrors, taking on distorted shapes & angles whichever way you look at it.


When I sit on a pin, I know what a sole, proximate cause is. I don't think I
have sat on a "partial, relative or contributory cause" and I must consult
with Richard Smyth to learn more about it.

The fact that there are other causal factors that contribute to the occurrence of the pain is obvious from the fact that there are ways to block the pain from occurring despite the pin. That would be inexplicable if the pin were the sole cause of the pain.

Regards,

Richard Smyth
smyth@nc.rr.com

Gjest

Re: Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

Legg inn av Gjest » 25 aug 2007 16:56:26

On 25 Aug., 15:17, "Richard Smyth at UNC-CH" <sm...@email.unc.edu>
wrote:
In the real world there are no examples of causal connections that
are not discussions of causes which will only be partial, relative, or
contributory.
This bizarre statement resonates in a sort of intellectual chamber of
mirrors, taking on distorted shapes & angles whichever way you look at it.
When I sit on a pin, I know what a sole, proximate cause is. I don't think I
have sat on a "partial, relative or contributory cause" and I must consult
with Richard Smyth to learn more about it.

The fact that there are other causal factors that contribute to the occurrence of the pain is obvious from the fact that there are ways to block the pain from occurring despite the pin. That would be inexplicable if the pin were the sole cause of the pain.

Regards,

Richard Smyth
sm...@nc.rr.com

I am not sure why the rest of us are obliged to share your pain. If
you cannot resist the urge to continue this discussion on-line, please
restrict it to the thread it is already on, without starting new hares
running.

Kind regards, MAR

Peter Stewart

Re: Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

Legg inn av Peter Stewart » 26 aug 2007 02:13:41

"Richard Smyth at UNC-CH" <smyth@email.unc.edu> wrote in message
news:mailman.1288.1188051467.7287.gen-medieval@rootsweb.com...
In the real world there are no examples of causal connections that
are not discussions of causes which will only be partial, relative, or
contributory.

This bizarre statement resonates in a sort of intellectual chamber of
mirrors, taking on distorted shapes & angles whichever way you look at it.


When I sit on a pin, I know what a sole, proximate cause is. I don't think
I
have sat on a "partial, relative or contributory cause" and I must consult
with Richard Smyth to learn more about it.

The fact that there are other causal factors that contribute to the
occurrence
of the pain is obvious from the fact that there are ways to block the
pain
from occurring despite the pin. That would be inexplicable if the pin
were
the sole cause of the pain.

Um, no. The nervous system exists and functions quite independently of
stimulus. The fact that there is more than one way to stop a thing from
hurting doesn't mean that the pain has more than one cause, it means that
there is more than one remedy.

Peter Stewart

Peter Stewart

Re: Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

Legg inn av Peter Stewart » 26 aug 2007 02:13:41

"Richard Smyth at UNC-CH" <smyth@email.unc.edu> wrote in message
news:mailman.1288.1188051467.7287.gen-medieval@rootsweb.com...
In the real world there are no examples of causal connections that
are not discussions of causes which will only be partial, relative, or
contributory.

This bizarre statement resonates in a sort of intellectual chamber of
mirrors, taking on distorted shapes & angles whichever way you look at it.


When I sit on a pin, I know what a sole, proximate cause is. I don't think
I
have sat on a "partial, relative or contributory cause" and I must consult
with Richard Smyth to learn more about it.

The fact that there are other causal factors that contribute to the
occurrence
of the pain is obvious from the fact that there are ways to block the
pain
from occurring despite the pin. That would be inexplicable if the pin
were
the sole cause of the pain.

Um, no. The nervous system exists and functions quite independently of
stimulus. The fact that there is more than one way to stop a thing from
hurting doesn't mean that the pain has more than one cause, it means that
there is more than one remedy.

Peter Stewart

Peter Stewart

Re: Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

Legg inn av Peter Stewart » 26 aug 2007 02:13:41

"Richard Smyth at UNC-CH" <smyth@email.unc.edu> wrote in message
news:mailman.1288.1188051467.7287.gen-medieval@rootsweb.com...
In the real world there are no examples of causal connections that
are not discussions of causes which will only be partial, relative, or
contributory.

This bizarre statement resonates in a sort of intellectual chamber of
mirrors, taking on distorted shapes & angles whichever way you look at it.


When I sit on a pin, I know what a sole, proximate cause is. I don't think
I
have sat on a "partial, relative or contributory cause" and I must consult
with Richard Smyth to learn more about it.

The fact that there are other causal factors that contribute to the
occurrence
of the pain is obvious from the fact that there are ways to block the
pain
from occurring despite the pin. That would be inexplicable if the pin
were
the sole cause of the pain.

Um, no. The nervous system exists and functions quite independently of
stimulus. The fact that there is more than one way to stop a thing from
hurting doesn't mean that the pain has more than one cause, it means that
there is more than one remedy.

Peter Stewart

D. Spencer Hines

Re: Parsing Stewart's Red Herring

Legg inn av D. Spencer Hines » 26 aug 2007 02:21:09

Richard Smyth has indicated he was pretty much up to scratch on causal
issues in Philosophy, when he retired but doesn't know much about recent
developments.

I should think Causal Theory in Philosophy has been pretty well rung out
over the last 2,500 years or so.

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DSH

Lux et Veritas et Libertas

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