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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Doctrine Value of Human Knowledge a. Results of Philosophy: The eminent British philosopher Francis Bacon said: "A little of philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth man's mind to religion." Why? It is better to let one of the most distinguished and productive representatives of `Logical positivism' (logical empiricism), Rudolf Carnap answers this question.

He said: "We may soon come to a degree of certainty sufficient for all practical purposes, but absolute certainty we can never attain." In fact, it amounts to the question: Do we know anything at all?

The answer may seem simple, but when examined, it would be one of the most difficult questions which ever con- fronted man, Professor Ayer (the chairman of the Humanist Association and Professor of logic at Oxford University) said: "I believe in science" but he went on, "though I believe in science, I do not believe that science is infallible." He concluded, "Since we can never have a logical guarantee that any such theory will not be falsified, we are never in a position to claim that we are in possession of the final truth." It seems that the best summary of the result of philosophy is that given by the eminent philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.

He said: "My propositions are elucidatory in this way: he who understands me finally recognises them as senseless, when he has climbed l out through them, on them, over them. (He must so to speak throw the ladder, after he has climbed over it). He must surmount these propositions; then he sees the world rightly.

Whereof one can't speak, thereof one must be silent." Bertrand Russel said: "One can't be certain of anything and if he is certain of anything then he is certainly wrong." He also said: "The job of the 'philosopher is to help people to fight their doubt." Even a great rationalist like Des- cartes started by saying that he was doubting the only thing that he did not doubt - his doubt itself. His way of tackling the problem can be taken as follows. (Since I doubt, there- fore I am thinking.

Since I think therefore I exist. Since I exist, therefore God exists for a thing cannot happen without a cause). The weak points in his argument are the following: i. He assumes that his doubt is absolutely true which is an arbitrary proposition. ii. He assumes causality without offering a reason for such assumption.