Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Arguably, development of human individuality made subsequent stages in
cultural evolution more, rather than less, difficult—since individuals and groups
would have sought to avoid the constraints of more-inclusive organizations (such as
incipient states) when they could. Development of civilization required effective
“caging” (Mann
1986
) not just generating surplus resources.
6.11 Conclusion
The quotation of John Searle with which this paper started identifies an important
problem for contemporary philosophy—but regrettably that quotation presupposes
both stark dualism and
respect for the nominalistic presuppositions of
current philosophy. An alternate version avoids the Cartesian bifurcation and
suggests that clarifying the status of compound individuals—a main goal of phi-
losophy of chemistry—is crucial to resolving Seale
un-modern
'
'
s conundrum. That alternative
'
is:
How is it possible, in a universe
analyzable into
physical particles and fields,
that there
also are
atoms, molecules, dissipative structures, biological organisms,
social structures, consciousness, intentionality, language, society, ethics, aesthetics,
and political obligations?
'
Chemists interested in philosophy of chemistry can make
crucial contributions to resolving the issue that Searle raises.
24
But, following
Peirce at least this far, chemists should prefer intuitions that have been developed
in their laboratories to the recommendations of academic philosophers.
'
Acknowledgement The author is grateful for a research grant from the Graduate School of
Georgetown University.
References
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Carroll L (1872) Through the looking-glass and what Alice found there. Macmillan and Co.,
London
Conway Morris S (2003) Life
s solution: inevitable humans in a lonely universe. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge
'
24
And also the related objections brought up by Searle
s critics, such as Thomas Nagel (2012).
'
