In my two most recent posts (here and here), in a series discussing the science of purpose, I described the foundational subject-object metaphysics (SOM) of modern science, and how that has unfortunately led to the rise of modern scientism. I pointed out why SOM can never go beyond a derivative/secondary explanation of life. Perhaps the greatest illustration of the failure of SOM is that it necessarily leads to irreducible complexity, as so brilliantly explicated by Michael Behe, Jonathan Wells, William Dembski, Stephen Meyer, et al.
But it was also SOM, as originally articulated by Descartes, that led Western civilization to great scientific advancement. Now, we find ourselves at the limit of the advances that can be thusly obtained.
Where Do We Go from Here?
The answer can be obtained by understanding the profound differences between the physical and the life sciences
In Descartes’s 17th-century world, scientific investigation was crude at best. There was the telescope which allowed Kepler and Copernicus to redirect our astronomical position to heliocentric and away from geocentric. But down on planet Earth the issues were mechanical, and the focus was on the construction of weapons, roads, and buildings. In other words, the creation of machines that reduced heavy labor requirements was at the center of all “technological” inquiry.
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