The Universe According to Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa has been heard saying:
"The universe works perfectly, whether or not you understand it" (Source: Frank Zappa: American Composer).
This quote has intregued me. What is Zappa trying to say?
I think this is a profoundly mystical statement, which can be interpreted in two ways. Is the creative genius infering that the attempts to explain the universe by brainiac philosophers and scientists have thus far have feable? Or is Zappa ignoring the importance of science as a means of providing purpose in life, although acknowledging its strength in providing a description of the physical world.
I don't think he could have intended to say that science is useless and all work by engineers and scientists, as he himself was one of the pioneers of composing music with the Synclavier. Zappa can thus by no means be called a scepticist regarding science and its attempt to provide a model of the world.
His statement has to be interpreted as a existential claim about the value of our rational atempts to explain how and why the universe works the way it does. The fact that we now doe have some clue does not mean that we have a better culture than, for example, traditional cultures around the globe, who base their explanations on mythology and religion. They way I see this statement is as an implicit acknowledgement that science and technology should not have primate over more intuitive modes of explanation. Religion and mythology are not archaic forms of science, they are simply competing systems.
"The universe works perfectly, whether or not you understand it" (Source: Frank Zappa: American Composer).
This quote has intregued me. What is Zappa trying to say?
I think this is a profoundly mystical statement, which can be interpreted in two ways. Is the creative genius infering that the attempts to explain the universe by brainiac philosophers and scientists have thus far have feable? Or is Zappa ignoring the importance of science as a means of providing purpose in life, although acknowledging its strength in providing a description of the physical world.
I don't think he could have intended to say that science is useless and all work by engineers and scientists, as he himself was one of the pioneers of composing music with the Synclavier. Zappa can thus by no means be called a scepticist regarding science and its attempt to provide a model of the world.
His statement has to be interpreted as a existential claim about the value of our rational atempts to explain how and why the universe works the way it does. The fact that we now doe have some clue does not mean that we have a better culture than, for example, traditional cultures around the globe, who base their explanations on mythology and religion. They way I see this statement is as an implicit acknowledgement that science and technology should not have primate over more intuitive modes of explanation. Religion and mythology are not archaic forms of science, they are simply competing systems.
Labels: philosophy
posted by Peter Prevos | 09:35
1 Comments:
hi im just a by passer..well im studying soc175 at macquarie uni.doing some research and happened to searched up a few of your essays that are exactly what im after lol..but yeah i'm just wondering on your thoughts about the question " are we free to choose your own identity?"...thats the one i chose to write on for my last essay..by the way, your work is great...well you seem to love philosphy,sociology and all...but im only doing sociology as an elective hehe...anyways...just like to hear about your thoughts.
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