Whitehead was unimpressed by this objection. In the notes of one his students for a 1927 class, Whitehead was quoted as saying: "Every scientific man in order to preserve his reputation has to say he dislikes metaphysics. What he means is he dislikes having his metaphysics criticized." In Whitehead's view, scientists and philosophers make metaphysical assumptions about how the universe works all the time, but such assumptions are not easily seen precisely because they remain unexamined and unquestioned. While Whitehead acknowledged that "philosophers can never hope finally to formulate these metaphysical first principles," he argued that people need to continually re-imagine their basic assumptions about how the universe works if philosophy and science are to make any real progress, even if that progress remains permanently asymptotic. For this reason Whitehead regarded metaphysical investigations as essential to both good science and good philosophy. COUNT 8
QSN1 What quotation of Whitehead's was noted by a student in 1927? ANS1 "Every scientific man in order to preserve his reputation has to say he dislikes metaphysics. What he means is he dislikes having his metaphysics criticized." QSN2 What was Whitehead's opinion of basic assumptions in metaphysics? ANS2 such assumptions are not easily seen precisely because they remain unexamined and unquestioned QSN3 What did Whitehead feel was necessary regarding basic assumptions in metaphysics? ANS3 people need to continually re-imagine their basic assumptions about how the universe works if philosophy and science are to make any real progress QSN4 What was Whitehead's opinion of metaphysical investigations? ANS4 Whitehead regarded metaphysical investigations as essential to both good science and good philosophy QSN5 What do philosophers do, in Whitehead's view? ANS5 make metaphysical assumptions about how the universe works QSN6 Assumptions of how the universe works are difficult to see precisely because of what? ANS6 they remain unexamined and unquestioned QSN7 What did Whitehead ask people to reimagine in order for philosophy to make progress? ANS7 basic assumptions about how the universe works QSN8 What did Whitehead regard as essential to good science and good philosophy? ANS8 metaphysical investigations