Author: 胡翌霖

In Memory of My Maternal Grandfather

Life & Notes2006.04.08
In Memory of My Maternal Grandfather
My maternal grandfather passed away on the evening of the Qingming Festival. Today is his funeral service. My father only told me about it yesterday and asked me to go, which was only natural; my mother, worried it would affect my studies, had not wanted to let me come back, but that was clearly unreasonable. Though I was not especially close to my grandfather, how many grandfathers can I have? My mother and her sisters were not especially unable to accept his passing, because my grandfather had had uremia for eight years, and for more than the past half year his condition had been extremely dangerous; everyone had long since…
everyday life Confucianism death medicine
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2006年4月8日
Exercises in Philosophy of Science: Chapter 2 (Scientific Explanation)

History of Science & Scholarship2006.04.07
Exercises in Philosophy of Science: Chapter 2 (Scientific Explanation)
Exercises for Chapter 2: 1. Defend or criticize: “The D-N model, or covering-law model, does not elucidate the nature of explanation. If someone wants to know why x occurs under condition y, being told what always occurs under condition y does not elucidate anything.” Science begins in wonder, and science seeks explanation in order to satisfy that wonder. (See textbook, p. 26.) The difference between scientific explanation and the explanations found in “the other trades” of human beings lies in method and norms, not in the object explained. What is called scientific explanation is directed toward “wonder,” that is, the quest for an answer to “why.” So we may as…
philosophy science philosophy of science scientific method
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2006年4月7日
Constructing a DN Account of Leopold’s Essay (Thinking Like a Mountain);

History of Science & Scholarship2006.04.06
Constructing a DN Account of Leopold’s Essay (Thinking Like a Mountain);
1. Constructing a DN explanation for Leopold’s article “Thinking Like a Mountain”; For the original text, see http://www.pep.com.cn/200406/ca429154.htm 1) Any animal’s survival requires enough food. —— universal law 2) Any animal can obtain food only within its own range of activity. —— universal law 3) If there is not enough food within its range of activity, then that animal cannot obtain enough food. —— corollary of 2 4) If there is not enough food source within its range of activity, then that animal cannot maintain survival. —— corollary of 1 and 3 5) If a group of animals remains stable in a certain place, then there must be a stable…
book reading notes ecology biology
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2006年4月6日
A Disappointing Marxist Philosophy Forum

Life & Notes2006.04.05
A Disappointing Marxist Philosophy Forum
Today I attended the philosophy-forum event. I was deeply disappointed. The topic was “Transcending and Reflecting on ‘Modernity,’” with Nie Jinfang, Zhang Libo, Yang Xuegong, and Yang Haifeng. Originally they had said Feng Zhiyi would chair it, but Teacher Feng didn’t come. Teacher Nie seemed to say that his absence would not have much effect on the level of the forum, but I think the level was truly terrible. I do not doubt the academic standing of the teachers involved, but as a forum open to all teachers and students across the university, this event was a failure—one might even say a shameful forum! At the very least, the image…
philosophy everyday life scholarship discussion
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2006年4月5日
Xiao Gu Talks Quantum Physics (Colloquial Edition) — Lecture One: The Gains of Not Understanding

History of Science & Scholarship2006.04.04
Xiao Gu Talks Quantum Physics (Colloquial Edition) — Lecture One: The Gains of Not Understanding
Xiaogu Talks About Quantum Physics (Colloquial Version) Lecture One: The Gains of Not Understanding The reading salon has been eagerly anticipated for a long time. You all know that I am very fond of books: first I like buying books, and second I like reading books. Among students, I’m probably the one who buys the most books. Of course, they are not all just for show; I have read quite a few of them. There are simply far too many books on the market now. There is a pile of bad books, but there are also far too many good books. If you asked me to pick two books from…
science history of science philosophy of science scientific spirit
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2006年4月4日
Human Nature and Human Essence—A Discussion in Everyday Language

Culture & Public Commentary2006.04.03
Human Nature and Human Essence—A Discussion in Everyday Language
What is meant by “essence” is “the fundamental nature of a thing.” The essence of human beings refers to the fundamental reason by which a human being becomes human, qualifies as human, and is distinguished from other things. What is meant by “human nature” is, in the most general dictionary sense: “the normal feelings and reason possessed by human beings.” Clearly, for example, the criterion of biological classification—for instance, saying that a human being is an animal “with two legs and no feathers”—is not a matter of philosophical concern. What, then, can the “essence of human beings” discussed in a philosophical sense include, besides feelings and reason? It is clear…
philosophy culture human nature self
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2006年4月3日
Science—Seen from a Religious Perspective

History of Science & Scholarship2006.04.03
Science—Seen from a Religious Perspective
Human beings are descended from animals; one could even say that human beings are a kind of animal. Of course, human beings are not only animals. Human beings have their own distinctive strengths; their power to understand the world and transform the world is incomparable with that of animals, and rational thought and judgment are the special hallmarks of humanity. To regard human beings merely as a kind of animal is indeed one-sided. But to view human beings from the standpoint from which we view animals, and to examine the commonalities and similarities between human beings and animals, is obviously also highly meaningful. It helps us examine human nature from…
philosophy science philosophy of science faith
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2006年4月3日
Xu Jinhua’s Lecture

Life & Notes2006.04.02
Xu Jinhua’s Lecture
Pretty interesting. Mr. Xu was very witty. But he does indeed seem to have a bit of a folk-science air about him. His “integrated waterway” sounds far too mystical; to fantasize about solving “all environmental problems” through such a technology, even if Mr. Xu insists that this is not technology but science, is still a bit too naive. As for the “fundamental error of Einstein,” that was the weak point of Mr. Xu’s lecture this time. Of course, science must oppose blind faith in authority, but scientific masters are after all masters—how could they be so easily refuted? Wave-particle duality is after all persuasive; not to mention photons and light…
everyday life science scientific spirit Einstein
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2006年4月2日
Some Counterfactual Conditionals in the Natural Sciences

History of Science & Scholarship2006.03.30
Some Counterfactual Conditionals in the Natural Sciences
Construct two counterfactual conditionals, and consider whether the relation between counterfactual conditionals and the laws of natural science is intrinsic or merely superficial. The sentences you construct should involve natural-science content and be as creative or original as possible. 1.Frege: If the density of iron were less than that of water, it would float on water.[①] 2.Einstein’s “first naive thought experiment” concerning relativity: If a person were to run along with a light wave at the speed of light, then he would find himself in a wave field that does not change with time. (But it seems that this would not happen!)[②] 3.Hawking’s discussion of the origin of the universe…
philosophy science history of science counterfactuals
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2006年3月30日
The Religious Views of Great Scientists: Quotation Piling

Philosophy & Thought2006.03.28
The Religious Views of Great Scientists: Quotation Piling
The Big Scientists’ View of Religion: A Heap of Quotations Einstein: You will have a hard time finding among scientists of deep attainment anyone who does not have his own religious feeling. — “The Religious Spirit of Science,” in The Collected Works of Einstein, vol. 1, p. 67 A person inspired by religion has already, to the greatest possible extent, freed himself from the shackles of selfish desire, and is wholly devoted to thoughts, feelings, and aspirations that possess transpersonal value and which he holds fast to. What I consider important is the power of this content that transcends the individual, and the depth of the belief in its far-reaching…
book reading notes history of science philosophy of science
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2006年3月28日