The argument you gave is simply weaker than the argument that everything that happens is caused by antecedent conditions, and that if any person knew everything about the universe one second, he would be able to predict everything that happens in the next second. But how are you going to resolve things like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle? Uncertainity is part of the universe, which would seem to throw off a deterministic worldview. In other words, knowing everything would mean that you would know that you would not know everything.
Then again, maybe you're using the word "philosophical" in a different way than I would -- and I think this is the case, especially since academic philosophy cares little for being readily understood by most people. When I say "philosophical" here, I mean when the majority of people discuss these things. I don't count academia here, since most people care little for understanding esoteric tomes. =)
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Date: 2009-04-28 11:09 pm (UTC)But how are you going to resolve things like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle? Uncertainity is part of the universe, which would seem to throw off a deterministic worldview. In other words, knowing everything would mean that you would know that you would not know everything.
Then again, maybe you're using the word "philosophical" in a different way than I would -- and I think this is the case, especially since academic philosophy cares little for being readily understood by most people.
When I say "philosophical" here, I mean when the majority of people discuss these things. I don't count academia here, since most people care little for understanding esoteric tomes. =)