=> 5/31/01 10:12:20 AM EDT, K.Hodges@ftel.co.uk => << "If we hold the theory of evolution to be true, which it is likely to be given the philosphical viewpoint or axiom that assumes there is no outside agent then it is likely that the process of evolution evolved the animals, both their bodies and their habits ..." >>
It is suggested by other contributions that this sentence may be difficult to parse for sixth graders. I would suggest it's not too easy for adults, either. Nonetheless, to jump in the pool with all you philosophical sharks here for a minute, let's give it a try.
Rephrasing ==>
----------------------------------------------
1. The assumption that there is no outside agent implies that the theory of evolution is true.
2. If we hold the theory of evolution to be true then it is likely that the process of evolution evolved the animals, both their bodies and their habits ...
3. (I guess) ... thus the assumption that there is not outside agent implies the likelihood that the process of ... etc.
----------------------------------------------
Does this work? If so, I have two (actually three) naive questions about this outlook:
Question 0: First an aside on the assumption: Why? For example, is there not the possibility of such a "thing" as an ‘inside’ agent (genetic, vibrational, etc.). Can we not conceive of other mechanisms?
Question 1: Nonetheless, to examine the truth of the sentence itself, let us take the contrapositive: If the theory of evolution is false, then there is an outside agent. Is this a true sentence?
Question 2: Is this the only description (ToE) which fit this process? Not that the ToE does not have a certain elegance of simplicity. But nothing of its rightness suggests exhaustiveness or exclusivity in its description of the "evolutionary" process. Is that not so?
----------------------------------------------
None of this appears tautological to me. I have read philosophy for 45 of my 60 years. I graduated from sixth grade in 1952. Maybe I would have understood it better then. :-)
I can tell it's Friday afternoon, Jerry.
____________________________
Jerry L. Archibald systemObjectivesIncorporated ____________________________
squeak-dev@lists.squeakfoundation.org