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down with mysticism!

63.195.98.186

Posted by AndrewH on February 22, 2001 at 21:50:17

In Reply to: Re: Feng Shui posted by geoffkait on February 22, 2001 at 19:44:39:

Hmm, philosophy of science arguments. I don't have any formal training with this but here goes:

Science is a codified and institutionalized way of analyzing the world. It's just one perspective among many, but it happens to be a perspective that has brought about more change in human civilization than most others.

Instead of arguing the case of feng shui directly, allow me to provide an analogy. Consider a naturalistic herbal remedy like... willow bark tea, to treat pain. Scientific inquiry teased apart what exactly was going on with this "magical mixture" and isolated the active ingredient to a single substance or molecule, salicilic acid or salicin. Aspirin.

Was it necessary to provide an explanation for how willow bark tea relieves pain in order for it to relieve pain? No. Are there benefits to scientifically understanding how willow bark tea relieves pain? Yes. Aspirin is now widely available, most likely synthetically mass-produced, making it affordable and widespread, benefitting people the world over.

Imagine having a dentist operate on you without painkillers.

BTW I believe there is research being done on what goes on when the acupuncture needle penetrates your nerves. I recall some preliminary results reporting that the punctured neuron undergoes neurochemical changes -- likely something that affects our pain response. It's been a while since I understood the mechanisms of p-factor and whatnot, but the general idea is there.

My personal belief is that feng shui will one day be understood as a cultural institution that draws upon psychological, sociological, and aesthetic principles to bring about its effects. You could argue that this is just the Western perspective absorbing and dominating Eastern traditions; whatever. I'm Chinese and I have no problems with the thought. I believe Western science is good for progress.

Some of my pro-Western bias stems from reaction against Eastern extremes, such as Confucian conservatism (sexism, ageism, cronyism, nepotism, you name it) and my negative experience of their effects on people I know and on myself personally. I think the world will be a happier place when certain pieces of baggage are left behind.

Back to the here and now, when it comes to mystical doodads like the PWB stuff, on one level I think it's perfectly fine that an individual is making money from selling this stuff, regardless of its efficacy. Such is the free market and one can only hope that the invisible hand will protect us from our excesses.

On another level, I have the personal conviction stemming from my understanding of science (both physics and psychology) that this PWB stuff is absolute bullshit. People are wasting money on a charlatan.

Believe it or not, the world of feng shui is replete with similar characters. I have heard stories from my Chinese friends of Taiwanese businessmen being preyed upon by "feng shui masters" or "fortune tellers", almost akin to gypsies, who manipulate their victim's insecurities in order to parasitically ingratiate and enrich themselves. These afflicted businessmen grow dependent and must consult their fortune-tellers daily, especially before making any business deal! Whatever happened to good business sense?

I'm sure there are similar abuses happening with psychologists in the US, and I believe these abuses are similarly wrong.

One argues: but as long as the huckster's patrons are being made happy, that's all that matters right?

Again, on the level of the free market, sure. But on the level of my personal convictions, NO.

As intelligent human beings we have the responsibility to do the best we can. I believe we can do better to understand what is going on in the world. We should not confuse objective studies with subjective experiences. In particular, inaccurately evoking the quantum-mechanical for personal benefit is irresponsible.

Stated formally, I do believe that the epistemologically subjective can and will one day be integrated with the ontologically objective. However, it will only happen through careful work done in the cognitive and related sciences. Our current state of knowledge is far too sparse for particular individuals to be making the grand proclamations that they are. There is something wrong with the idea that they stand to benefit financially from misrepresenting science and misleading the public.

Andrew

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