Single Idea 8685

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 2. Reduction of Mind]

Full Idea

In the hierarchy of reduction, when we investigate questions in biology, we have to assume the laws of chemistry but not of economics. We could never find a law of biology that contradicted something in physics or in chemistry.

Gist of Idea

Studying biology presumes the laws of chemistry, and it could never contradict them

Source

Michèle Friend (Introducing the Philosophy of Mathematics [2007], 3.1)

Book Reference

Friend,Michèle: 'Introducing the Philosophy of Mathematics' [Acumen 2007], p.51


A Reaction

This spells out the idea that there is a direction of dependence between aspects of the world, though we should be cautious of talking about 'levels' (see Idea 7003). We cannot choose the direction in which reduction must go.

Related Idea

Idea 7003 There are levels of organisation, complexity, description and explanation, but not of reality [Heil]