Bas C. van Fraassen - Can Metaphysics Discern God?

Metaphysics is the deepest probe of reality. It is the branch of philosophy that discerns the most general features of the world. When focused on God, metaphysics seeks insights not readily apparent, such as possible contradictions (or coherence) among various traits of God. Other topics include tensions between God and time, and God and abstract objects.



Bas C. van Fraassen is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at San Francisco State University and the McCosh Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Princeton University.


Closer to Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[jeffneptune]

There may be realms of knowledge and reality that will be forever inaccessible to us, things in principal we can never even grasp. Try teaching calculus to an amoeba. A lot of scientists frown upon philosophy because they feel the discipline has undermined their quest for objective knowledge about the world and it has.

[transcender]

The human nervous system is capable of experiencing deeper, more abstract levels of creation. Intellectual musings about God and "cosmic" phenomena is a vain, empty pursuit when lacking actually experiencing them. The Vedic tradition offers systematic techniques for purifying and developing the human nervous system so we can gain more advanced states of consciousness that reveal more abstract levels of creation and ultimately that infinite field of pure consciousness, beyond time and space, which is the source of material creation. The Vedic tradition records these experiences and offers a mature, complete description of the absolute nature of that ultimate reality.

[raphaeldavis]

I find it interesting that scientists can deduce that life has no meaning and then spend the rest of their lives trying to explain "meaningless" life.

The very act of being consciously aware gives rise to the concept of "meaning" because conscious awareness is the act of comparing what is known against what is not known. Yes it is subjective but subjective doesn't equate to meaningless...(but of course that's my subjective/meaningless opinion)🙃

[francesco]

This is a two edged sword... It's maybe rushing things to give a metaphysical explanation for what we does not know BUT the same error is to force a materialistic explanation to avoid a metaphysical one (example multiverses to avoid talking of fine-tuning).

[jamesruscheinski]

Consider metaphysics / philosophy as experience or awareness, not truth? From experience and awareness one can look into meaning?

[EduardoRodriguez-duvd]

This is as simple as wanting to hang on a chain. One cannot assume that the union between each link is the only thing that guarantees that we hang on that chain. It is imperative that we anchor it to reality.

[GottfriedLeibnizYT]

7:14
Isn't that a position in epistemology (which is totally fine and non-contradictory)?

[SRAVALM]

If I want to prove to man what's been revealed to me, I use science.

If I seek to connect with God, I go within the abode of consciousness, becoming a sojourner philosopher, exercising a metaphysical contemplative sense, ever experiencing, an amour with Sophia.

Never do i or should I feel the urgency to disclose scientifically this to another man.

[richardschweizer]

To all the people who put themselves under so much pressure and think they can find the answers in this realm. Forget it. Wait until you can leave this realm and you will know everything.

[patientson]

Just because you don't know about it nor do you want people to know about it doesn't mean they won't eventually find it. After all, we are all managers of our life. How do you think the royals of this world get protected and influenced.

[owencampbell]

We have enough evidence for being led by our mentality. Languages, science, metaphysics, beliefs, God's, all learned stuff, now debating unanswered questions. I think, one cannot think neutral, when your mentality forces the way you think. The other person also studied, but spirituality, cannot let go from the way he thinks and involves his knowledges to the unanswered questions. We see, that each part involves his mentality to the subject.
Now there is an entanglement of logics, that has to be understood, and yet no accurate answer.
We are talking about locked minds, not able to open and compromise with other logics than their own.
They pick and quote their version of lessons they accept, and that's it.
We have to learn that what we think is the only solution, is far from the amount of solutions there really are.

[micheldisclafani]

My comments have been interrupted at least 3 times.Why?

[srikanthtupurani]

Many scientists say meta physics is a total waste. Once I have seen atkins talking in this way. We can never prove the existence Or non existence of God using metaphysics.it is not possible. Most of the scientists don't like talking about things like consciousness. Some people say consciousness is an illusion. When we ask questions like origin of universe these are questions connected to brain. It is frustrating we cannot know some things.

[SimpleBach]

Everything is a game that doesn’t lead anywhere.

[jjcm]

two very bright men enjoying themselves,

[michaelkaminski]

"They [meta-physicists] are satisfied with explanation by postulate. In other words, they NEED an explanation, they postulate something that will explain, and then they say, 'Well then, that postulate must be right BECAUSE it explains.' There's a wonderful circularity there." My thoughts in a nutshell. You can also apply this to multi-verse "theories" (gross misuse of that term, hypotheses is more accurate), which are untestable and unobservable by nature.

[dungteller]

How would I know that I know? = the truth is not knowledge, other thanI know that I know that I don't know.

[cps_Zen_Run]

Hopes, beliefs, faith, are not the pathway to truth. Remain skeptical and require credible evidence. Until then, remain open minded that we are incorrect. Don’t let our illusionary Ego dictate our life. Peace.

[ripleyfilms]

similarity & even as more fair like parents is the game maturity

[giorgirazmadze]

Some people claim to be philosophers but are just people who know philosophy.

That's not one and same 😁