shadows - an illustration of the duhem-quine thesis

8/9/2019 Shadows - An Illustration of the Duhem-Quine Thesis

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Aurnee Rahman

November 21st, 2013

Honors 392 APaper 4

Shadowthief An !""ustration of the #uhem$%uine &hesis

! thin' ! "ost m( shadow "on) a)o* ! +ant pinpoint e-a+t"( when it happened an(more,

but ! 'now that when ! "oo' upon the )round e-pe+tin) to see a snea'in) sort of b"a+' on b"a+',

!m +au)ht with on"( the star' )"are of the pavement starin) ba+'* Sometimes ! thin' !"" +at+hm( shadow out of the +orner of m( e(e, "in)erin) on an unassumin) wa""* .ut then ! turn m(

head and as /ui+'"( as ! thou)ht it +ame, its )one* !ts on"( a f"ash, perhaps m( mind p"a(in)

tri+'s on me, rememberin) a time when ! did have m( shadow and it fo""owed me faithfu""(*

! did have a shadow on+e* f that mu+h ! am sure* ! fee" "i'e ! +an sti"" see m( shadow+"ear"( in the re+esses of m( mind* !t was a beautifu" thin) morphin), twistin), disappearin),

and reappearin)* iven the ri)ht +onditions, m( form was mirrored on the sidewa"', on sand, on

wa""s* Shadows dont a"wa(s e-ist, ! 'now* .ut with the sun, the moon, fire, and "i)ht, shadows

are ever(where* -+ept for mine* ( shadow is nowhere to be found*( friends have be+ome used to this pe+u"iar fa+t* &he(ve "on) sin+e stopped as'in) me

what happened, and ! havent bothered to set the re+ord strai)ht* How +ou"d !5 How wou"d the(ever be"ieve what rea""( happened to me5 Sometimes its "i'e ever(one in the wor"d has a one$

tra+' mind* !ts hard for them to be"ieve what the( wou"d never e-pe+t, and even harder to have

to tr( to e-p"ain it* &he ver( prin+ip"e of what happened to me )oes a)ainst ever(thin) the( haveever "earned* !t )oes a)ainst ever(thin) the( ever thou)ht the( 'new* So ! dont sa( an(thin)* !

6ust dont tr( to e-p"ain it to an(one*

!m worried, be+ause ! 'now ever(one wi"" thin' !m ma'in) it up* At the end of the da(,

peop"e tend to thin' in terms of binaries there are two theories of what +ou"d happen, and if oneis ri)ht, the other is wron)* .ut as #uhem wi"" te"" (ou, there +annot be an( su+h thin) as a

7+ru+ia" e-periment8 a sin)"e e-periment whose out+ome is predi+ted different"( b( two+ompetin) theories and whi+h therefore serve to definitive"( +onfirm one and refute the other*i&he peop"e of this p"a+e are stu+' in their wa(s, and ! +ant b"ame them* How +ou"d the wor"d

not wor' this ver( wa(5 .ut sure"(, (ou must 'now, that this isnt how the wor"d wor's after a""*

&here are so man( other possibi"ities and +ombinations* ven be(ond this, there is so mu+h thatwe dont 'now, +ant 'now, and wou"dnt e-pe+t to 'now* !ts on"( fair that ! te"" (ou e-a+t"(

what happened to me, and e-a+t"( wh( it ma'es sense and doesnt ma'e sense a"" at the same

time* &his is m( stor(

!t was "ate one ni)ht in the summer time* &he air was warm and fresh, the s'( +"ear and the starstwin'"in) awa( in their happ( "itt"e p"a+es* &he moon was at her fu"", )"orious se"f, radiant"(

)"owin) and fi""in) the ni)ht with her si"ver( hue* es, ! was wa"'in) b( m(se"f* ! was ta'in) in

the /uiet, re"ishin) in the pea+e of the streets* ! wa"'ed down the road passin) the fami"iar housesof the midd"e +"ass with their mani+ured "awns and the o++asiona" +ar par'ed in the drivewa(*

Shadows were +ast b( "amp"i)hts and the moon* a+h ob6e+t, no matter how bi) or sma"" had a

se+ond p"a+e in two dimensions* ! did, too* ! +ou"d )"an+e down and see m( shadow b( m( side,fo""owin) me on m( ni)httime stro"", mimi+'in) m( movements* !t dan+ed when ! dan+ed: it

stood sti"" when ! stood sti""*

&he ni)ht was si"ent e-+ept for the o++asiona" rust"in) of "eaves, the o++asiona"

s+amperin) of a sma"" anima"* Nothin) out of the ordinar(, rea""(* .ut after some time, ! be)an to


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fee" "i'e there was a presen+e with me* !t was the 'ind of fee"in) (ou )et when (ou +an te"" that

someone is wat+hin) (ou* &he hairs on the ba+' of m( ne+' were standin) up, and ! was +au)ht

with une-pe+ted )oosebumps* ! fe"t a shiver, an unwor"d"( +o"d* Somethin) moved around me inm( spa+e, but ! didnt see an(thin)* ! "oo'ed ba+' down at m( shadow, and then, as if risin) from

the si"houette, a dar' fi)ure rose a"most invisib"(* &he shadow materia"i;ed with )"eamin) (e""ow

e(es and a shadow da))er in hand*! +ant remember a"" of what happened ne-t* ! thin' ! was so sho+'ed in the moment, !

didnt even rea"i;e what was happenin) unti" it was too "ate* !t sounded "i'e fabri+ bein) ripped

apart, ea+h sti+h bein) pu""ed, torn, snat+hed awa( from the ne-t* ! fe"t "i'e part of me was bein)su+'ed awa(* &he more ! tried to +"in) on to what ! +ou"d not )rasp, the faster it f"ed from me* !

wanted to s+ream, but m( voi+e was +au)ht in m( throat* &he se+onds seemed to stret+h for

sma"" eternities, and ! was "eft standin) in horror as m( shadow was ripped awa( from me, ta'en

hosta)e b( the Shadowthief*


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on, thou)h, that 7in +ondemnin) this s(stem as a who"e b( de+"arin) it stained with error, the

e-periment does not te"" us where the error "ies*8vi

&he thin) is, (ou +ant 'now whether !m te""in) the truth or not* ou +ant ru"e the Shadowthiefout as a possibi"it(* ou wou"d then be)in supposin) that (ou rea""( did 'now ever(thin) about

shadows, ever(thin) there ever was to 'now about shadows, and ever(thin) there wi"" ever be to

'now about shadows* Ban we entertain the possibi"it( that what we thin' we 'now is at "east inpart wron)5 !t seems that there are so man( aspe+ts to "i)ht and shadows that (ou +ou"d /uestion

infinite"( and never fi)ure out if (ou rea""( have disse+ted and +orre+t"( ana"(;ed ever( fa+et*

Curthermore, even if (ou suspe+t somethin) is wron), it +ou"d ta'e a "on) time fi)urin) oute-a+t"( whi+h part of the theor(, or networ' of theories, needs twea'in)*

&hats another thin) thou)h, twea'in) theories* !f (ou +ou"d a"ter a theor( indefinite"(,

(ou wou"d never have to be wron)* ! 'now the Shadowthief e-ists be+ause ! was in dire+t +onta+t

with him when he too' m( shadow awa( from me* ! saw it, ! fe"t it, ! heard it* &here is no theor(! need to a"ter be+ause the event itse"f +omp"ete"( +han)ed the wa( ! understood the wor"d* ! +an

ho"d onto this be+ause ! trust m( si)ht and sense of tou+h* ! trust the s"i)ht"( aw'ward emptiness

! have fe"t ever sin+e partin) with m( shadow* ?*D* %uine points out, thou)h, that 7an(

statement +an be he"d true +ome what ma(, if we ma'e drasti+ enou)h ad6ustments e"sewhere inthe s(stem*8vii!t is with this that ! be)in to "ose a"" hope* ! do not /uestion m( sanit(, but how +an

! e-pe+t no one e"se to5 No matter what the( want to be"ieve about the properties of shadows and"i)ht, 7no statement is immune to revision*8viii&he( +an ho"d onto their be"iefs as ti)ht"( as !

want to ho"d on to what ! 'now* Ban we both be simu"taneous"( ri)ht5 !ts a perpetua" )ame

)oin) Eround and Eround and ever(ones a winner as e/ua""( as the(re a"" "osers*?i"" ! +onvin+e an(bod(5 ?hat happened to me is a)ainst an( "o)i+ we 'now of* !ts a)ainst

an(thin) we +ou"d have predi+ted* !t 6ust doesnt seem p"ausib"e, ! 'now it* %uine sa(s, 7As an

empiri+ist ! +ontinue to thin' of the +on+eptua" s+heme of s+ien+e as a too", u"timate"(, for

predi+tin) future e-perien+e in the "i)ht of past e-perien+e*8i-How +ou"d an( past e-perien+eshed "i)ht on what !m )oin) throu)h5 ! havent found an(one e"se whose shadow was sto"en*

Perhaps, if there are peop"e who e-ist without their shadows, the( have )one into hidin) for fear

of bein) perse+uted as insane* ! mean, we +ant throw out ever(thin) we 'now about shadowsand "i)htF ?e 6ust +ant* After a"", it is 7our natura" tenden+( to disturb the tota" s(stem as "itt"e as

possib"e*8-! +ant ima)ine an(thin) sha'in) the s(stem up /uite as mu+h as the thou)ht of a

Shadowthief rippin) (our shadow from (our bod(* &he shadow +annot be independent from theob6e+t* An( (et, this is what happened*

!t doesnt seem "i'e ! +an ar)ue with this* An( ar)ument ! ma'e +an be met with a

+ounterar)ument* &he abi"it( to revise an( statement indefinite"( is both m( defense for the

Shadowthief and its prose+ution* &here is ever( reason to be"ieve that the bein) of theShadowthief is preposterous, and a"so +omp"ete"( reasonab"e* ( +"aim be)ins to "ose )round

the more ! thin' about it, and !m the one who e-perien+ed it* %uine sa(s that 7s+ien+e is a

+ontinuum of +ommon sense, and it +ontinues the +ommon$sense e-pedient of swe""in) onto"o)(to simp"if( theor(*8-i#espite the "e)ends and fo"'"ore of the Shadowthief, ! +ant ma'e sense of

this with +ommon sense* .ut, how e"se wou"d (ou e-p"ain m( "a+' of shadow with a simp"e

theor(5 ou +an tou+h me and fee" me, !m ri)ht here* !m a so"id, opa/ue person* !m not a)host, !m not a spirit, and (et, ! +ast no shadow* odif( an( theor( (ou wi"", but the

modifi+ation +annot be simp"e*

! worr( be+ause we are so +au)ht up in rationa"it(, we for)et to view a"ternatives* n+e a)ain,

%uine +"aims that 7ea+h man is )iven a s+ientifi+ herita)e p"us a +ontinuin) barra)e of sensor(


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stimu"ation: and the +onsiderations whi+h )uide him in warpin) his s+ientifi+ herita)e to fit his

+ontinuin) sensor( promptin)s are, where rationa", pra)mati+*8-ii?hat if some of the theories

that are out of the bo- are the ones that are +"oser to des+ribin) how the wor"d a+tua""( is5 &he(arent rationa" with re)ards to ever( sensor( situation weve e-perien+ed, but we havent

e-perien+ed ever(thin)* ouve never e-perien+ed the "oss of (our shadow or ever seen it

happen, so (ou +ant rationa""( +"aim that its a possibi"it(* ! )et it, ! rea""( do* ven with a"" m(eviden+e and ane+dotes, thin)s 6ust dont "ine up* ven if (ou tried to be"ieve me, (ou wou"d

have to admit that there are thin)s about shadows (ou have never 'nown > somethin) !m not

sure an(one is read( to admit* A shadow is so in+onse/uentia", how +ou"d there be an(thin) moreto it than what we a"read( 'now5 ?hen (ou tr( to fi)ure out where e-a+t"( this idea of shadows

brea's down, (ou have to be)in /uestionin) what it is (ou rea""( dont 'now matter5 =i)ht5

#ar'ness5 ?hi+h part of whi+h theor( a"tered wou"d "ead to the simp"est +han)e5 ?e +ant +"aim

to 'now what rea""( is 7simp"e8 in the )rand s+heme of thin)s*So (ou see, !m in /uite the pi+'"e* !ve to"d (ou m( stor(, so (ou must be"ieve me* .ut !m not

naGve* ! 'now (ou +an +onstru+t reasons for wh( !m +ra;(, for wh( ! need to be "o+'ed up* ou

+an ho"d on to what (ou 'now about shadows and how the( wor'* ou +an ho"d on to thin'in)

that (ou +ant remove someones shadow* !t doesnt ma'e sense, e-+ept it a"so does* ! dont'now how ! +ou"d ma'e up the Shadowthief* ! dont 'now how ! +ou"d )o from havin) m(

shadow to "osin) it a"" in a matter of se+onds* ! wish that ! +ou"d shine a f"ash"i)ht at the wa"" andma'e shadow fi)ures, but ! +ant* No matter how hard ! tr(, ! dont 'now how to )et m( shadow

ba+'* ! dont even 'now if m( shadow is sti"" out there in the wor"d in some form*

Perhaps the Shadowthiefs bi))est a++omp"ishment is not in stea"in) m( shadow, but inma'in) it impossib"e for me to +onvin+e an(one that the Shadowthief e-ists* Rea""(, the

Shadowthief has su++eeded in ma'in) me seem "i'e a "unati+, thereb( ma'in) me /uestion m(

own e-isten+e and rationa"it(* ! rep"a( the events of that fatefu" ni)ht over and over in m( mind,

6ust to +onvin+e m(se"f that ! 'now !m ri)ht* ! remember his dar'ness, his e(es, the da))er he"din his hand, the sound of m( shadow bein) +ut awa( en)raved into m( mind* &he "i)htness ! fee",

"i'e !m missin) a part of m( depth, is ver( rea" to me* ! "oo' down on a sunn( da( and prove to

m(se"f that m( shadow is nowhere to be seen* An(one +an see this, and sti"" the( dont have toa++ept m( e-p"anation* ! +ant as' an(one to simp"( ta'e m( word for it*

! dont 'now what to do* ! +ant te"" an(one ! 'now what rea""( happened to me* ! fear

that if !m found out, the("" +art me off and !"" never see m( "oved ones a)ain* &he( mi)htnever want to see me a)ain an(wa(* ! wi"" +ontinue with m( da(s as ! have without ever

mentionin) the Shadowthief, without tr(in) to +onvin+e an(one of an(thin)* ! wi"" probab"( "ive

out m( da(s with m( se+ret* ! on"( fear for others who have their shadows sto"en from them5

?hat if ! were ab"e to prevent it b( sa(in) somethin)5 Shou"d ! be warnin) ever(one of theShadowthief5 ! fear that ! +annot* ! +ant sa( an(thin) without "osin) ever(thin)* !ts somethin)

!"" have to a++ept* Now (ouve heard m( stor(, and (ou +an ma'e up (our own mind* Are (ou

wi""in) to for)et what (ou 'now about shadows and "i)ht5 Are (ou wi""in) to see somethin) (ounever even dreamed as possib"e5 How far are (ou wi""in) to revise the theories (ou have, and the

theories (ou have a"wa(s 'nown5 ! have to as' do (ou be"ieve me5 #o (ou5


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iStanford, ("e, IJnderdetermination of S+ientifi+ &heor(I, The Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyK?inter

2013 ditionL, dward N* Ma"ta Ked*L, httpOOp"ato*stanford*eduOar+hivesOwin2013OentriesOs+ientifi+$

underdeterminationO*

ii #uhem, Pierre* IPh(si+a" &heor( and -periment*IPhilosophy of Science: The Central Issues* .( artin

Burd,

shadows - an illustration of the duhem-quine thesis

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