How does The Real differ from The Ideal?
And, this contradiction is surprisingly re-enforced (when it should be undermined) by the very carefully selected, and even more carefully farmed situations deemed absolutely necessary for meaningful study. For, the usual subsequent post-experimental-processes do nothing to dispel that illusion. In fact, they can even contribute to it greatly!
Take the careful fitting of a General Pure Form, taken from studies in Abstract Mathematics, to data from an experiment, which has then been subject to the Method of Differences to point towards a particular General Form, and then have that so-identified form fitted-up to sets of experimental data by substituting them into the General Form to produce a series of simultaneous equations, which when solved deliver the previously unknown constants in the general form as actual numeric values.
For, even this fitted-up-form, though it can be used very effectively, within a defined range, will never be as effective outside of that range! Indeed, it then merely produces total failures in the form of asymptotes and zeros (Singularities), which are NO reflection of Reality at all, but merely proofs of the limitations, and even total failure, of the formulae so gained.
For, even this fitted-up-form, though it can be used very effectively, within a defined range, will never be as effective outside of that range! Indeed, it then merely produces total failures in the form of asymptotes and zeros (Singularities), which are NO reflection of Reality at all, but merely proofs of the limitations, and even total failure, of the formulae so gained.
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| Mathematical Singularity |
The closeness of the carefully adjusted General Formulae to real data, particularly in the hands of mere users of those formulae, unavoidably persuades them that they have the essence-of-the-situation in their hands, via that clearly valuable formula, and more generally that all situations are likely to be similarly served by other close-fitting encapsulations. It is, therefore, no wonder that such users (technicians rather than originators) will have a different attitude to those who struggled long and hard to finally achieve those results. The classically distinct standpoints of technicians, and following them, the general public, would see things differently to the actually involved, investigating scientists!
Now, such differences are, perhaps surprisingly, also extended to other scientists working in different fields, when they consider areas with which they are unfamiliar. The widely believed stance soon becomes that the formulae used DO indeed encapsulate the essence in their applied-to areas.
But, it just isn't true- and frequently confounds both outsiders and insiders alike, when results widely different from those predicted by the supposedly-appropriate formulae, are encountered.
And, the reasons are more than mere inaccuracy!
They are never exactly-the-same, for they describe different Worlds.
The maths-based forms are merely adjusted-but-fixed versions of forms from Ideality - the World of Pure Fixed Forms alone, while the actual relations in Reality are due to varying resultant situations happening in an holistic real concrete World, due to physical composite causes of many contributing factors - nothing of which could possibly be available in the pure, fixed forms of Abstract Ideality.
Yet, the mistaken slide into treating such formulae as the determining causes rather than clever, pragmatic tricks, has significant consequences outside of the Stabilities within which they are close to what happens. And, of course, absolutely everything isn't limited to such Stable situations, indeed, all Development and Qualitative Change is impossible in such circumstances.
So, as Hegel correctly insisted upon, some 200 years ago, the premises of not only Mathematics, but of Formal Logic too, would have to be radically modified to enable Mankind to tackle any of the important questions of Developmental Change. Absolutely none of that kind of relation even exists in Ideality!
And, though for centuries (or even millennia) the above described ideas and methodology did suffice, the time was sure to happen when Mankind couldn't continue to "hold things still" both to investigate them, and then to use them. For, such a purely technological approach is predicated upon achieving particular objectives only.
The more profound and far-reaching objective of getting closer to Understanding aspects of Reality, is not well-served by such objectives and methods. The crucial premise behind those technological methods is the Principle of Plurality, which insists upon only fixed ideas and laws as the bases of everything. But, the required premise, to enable Understanding of Real World phenomena, has to be the Principle of Holism, which insists that "Everything affects everything else!", and hence rejects both Mathematics and Formal Logic as being inadequate to dealing with Qualitative Change.
Now, this is definitely a Revolutionary Change, requiring a significant change in the very bases of both ideas and methods, and is nowhere near as easy as the approach that has both sufficed and dominated for literally millennia!
In spite of the major contributions of both Hegel and Marx, the changes in philosophical stance and methodology has still not been fully addressed. Indeed, their conception of Dialectics has never, until now, been applied in Physics: and that is not only to the detriment of Physics, but also to the detriment of Dialectics too! What Hegel and Marx were able to contribute in their respective areas, was not enough to establish all the changes necessary to complete the Revolution!
It will only be in the defeat of the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Theory that the necessary developments will be made.
Now, such differences are, perhaps surprisingly, also extended to other scientists working in different fields, when they consider areas with which they are unfamiliar. The widely believed stance soon becomes that the formulae used DO indeed encapsulate the essence in their applied-to areas.
But, it just isn't true- and frequently confounds both outsiders and insiders alike, when results widely different from those predicted by the supposedly-appropriate formulae, are encountered.
And, the reasons are more than mere inaccuracy!
They are never exactly-the-same, for they describe different Worlds.
The maths-based forms are merely adjusted-but-fixed versions of forms from Ideality - the World of Pure Fixed Forms alone, while the actual relations in Reality are due to varying resultant situations happening in an holistic real concrete World, due to physical composite causes of many contributing factors - nothing of which could possibly be available in the pure, fixed forms of Abstract Ideality.
Yet, the mistaken slide into treating such formulae as the determining causes rather than clever, pragmatic tricks, has significant consequences outside of the Stabilities within which they are close to what happens. And, of course, absolutely everything isn't limited to such Stable situations, indeed, all Development and Qualitative Change is impossible in such circumstances.
So, as Hegel correctly insisted upon, some 200 years ago, the premises of not only Mathematics, but of Formal Logic too, would have to be radically modified to enable Mankind to tackle any of the important questions of Developmental Change. Absolutely none of that kind of relation even exists in Ideality!
And, though for centuries (or even millennia) the above described ideas and methodology did suffice, the time was sure to happen when Mankind couldn't continue to "hold things still" both to investigate them, and then to use them. For, such a purely technological approach is predicated upon achieving particular objectives only.
The more profound and far-reaching objective of getting closer to Understanding aspects of Reality, is not well-served by such objectives and methods. The crucial premise behind those technological methods is the Principle of Plurality, which insists upon only fixed ideas and laws as the bases of everything. But, the required premise, to enable Understanding of Real World phenomena, has to be the Principle of Holism, which insists that "Everything affects everything else!", and hence rejects both Mathematics and Formal Logic as being inadequate to dealing with Qualitative Change.
Now, this is definitely a Revolutionary Change, requiring a significant change in the very bases of both ideas and methods, and is nowhere near as easy as the approach that has both sufficed and dominated for literally millennia!
In spite of the major contributions of both Hegel and Marx, the changes in philosophical stance and methodology has still not been fully addressed. Indeed, their conception of Dialectics has never, until now, been applied in Physics: and that is not only to the detriment of Physics, but also to the detriment of Dialectics too! What Hegel and Marx were able to contribute in their respective areas, was not enough to establish all the changes necessary to complete the Revolution!
It will only be in the defeat of the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Theory that the necessary developments will be made.
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