The argument was a meta-level undermining argument supporting the necessity of metaphysical reasoning (of the exact sort that you’re engaging in in your comment);—it wasn’t an argument about the merits of reductionism. That would likely have been clearer had I included more context; my apologies.
Also, metaphysical reasoning is often necessary, agreed.
Sadly, I often find it necessary in response to metaphysical reasoning introduced to situations without a clear sense of what it’s achieving and whether that end can be achieved without it. In this sense it’s rather like lawyers.
Not that I’m advocating eliminating all the lawyers, not even a little. Lawyers are useful. They’re even useful for things other than defending oneself from other lawyers.
But I’ve also seen situations made worse because one party brought in a lawyer without a clear understanding of the costs and benefits of involving lawyers in that situation.
I suspect that a clear understanding of the costs and benefits of metaphysical reasoning is equally useful.
The argument was a meta-level undermining argument supporting the necessity of metaphysical reasoning (of the exact sort that you’re engaging in in your comment);—it wasn’t an argument about the merits of reductionism. That would likely have been clearer had I included more context; my apologies.
(nods) Context is often useful, agreed.
Also, metaphysical reasoning is often necessary, agreed.
Sadly, I often find it necessary in response to metaphysical reasoning introduced to situations without a clear sense of what it’s achieving and whether that end can be achieved without it.
In this sense it’s rather like lawyers.
Not that I’m advocating eliminating all the lawyers, not even a little.
Lawyers are useful.
They’re even useful for things other than defending oneself from other lawyers.
But I’ve also seen situations made worse because one party brought in a lawyer without a clear understanding of the costs and benefits of involving lawyers in that situation.
I suspect that a clear understanding of the costs and benefits of metaphysical reasoning is equally useful.