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Comment by ProAm | Hacker News Reader

> Physics and mathematics have made it long since clear that the universe is deterministic

Except none of them have any idea whats really going on...

Compared to what? Yes, we can rest on the technicality that science is only an ever-expanding and ever-solidifying theory, but can't–by fallibility of perception–ever reach perfect truth. So what though. What else do we have to go on?

Regardless, the fact that we've made any strides at all within these fields is proof of determinism. If not 100% determinism, then enough to dispel notions of a "just world."

We know a lot of things. We simply focus all of our effort on the things we do not yet understand.

Not according to Thomas Kuhn, we don't.

That's a misreading of Kuhn. He believed in scientific progress -- he says so explicitly.

I was responding to the statement that "We simply focus all of our effort on the things we do not yet understand."

Kuhn (short summary) pointed out that paradigms arise which, after a time, cause scientists that have 'bought in' to resist attempts to modify them. Many scientists get 'stuck' in the current paradigm and pooh-pooh attempts to modify them. The history of science demonstrates this over and over ... EG Wegener, EG Clovis.

Yep, Kuhn recognizes progress. His major point is that progress doesn't come from the orthodox establishment.

Ah I see. My bad, I assumed you were talking about the first part.

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