Posted by
Steve Smith on
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Re-Direct-conversation-tp3137870p3140370.html
Russ Abbott wrote:
> Glen,
>
> That seems so defeatist. When one can't be clear, there may not be
> anything one can do about it at the time. But it seems to me that the
> positive arc of science, technology, philosophy, politics, culture,
> etc. (and I think it has been overall a positive arc) has been driven
> by the imperative to be as clear as possible as much as possible.
> Feynman famously said "Science is what we have learned about how not
> to fool ourselves about the way the world is. " Are you really
> objecting to that as a goal? (It certainly won't work as a software
> development strategy!) I would have thought that this list especially
> would value clarity.
I used to reject Freeman Dyson's aphorism "It is better to be wrong than
vague" out of hand. I now accept it conditionally. I accept this
statement as a value judgement about "clarity" rather than one about
quantifying accuracy and uncertainty.
I specialize (personally and professionally) in trying to understand new
concepts outside of familiar paradigms. This sometimes requires
embracing ambiguity or even ignorance. I believe that many scientific
breakthroughs (leading to paradigm shifts) involved a great deal of
(temporary) lack of clarity. I doubt that many understood Relativity
(general or special) or Quantum Theory on their first listen/read.... to
them the extant explanations were anything but clear... but to quote
Einstien... the were perhaps "as simple as possible but no simpler".
"Is it a wave or is it a particle?" seems like a pretty clear question
with (one of two) pretty clear answer(s). But if you understand quantum
theory, you appreciate why this is not such a simple question.
All that said, I think most people here in most discussions are seeking
clarity. I myself sometimes might be deliberately *expanding* the
ambiguity of a discussion or point with the goal of avoiding various
(potential) local minima in understanding. I'm not as likely to be
exercising my zen-master impression with Koans, but I suspect a few here
of being good enough to do that.
- Steve
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