1

Scientific research involves the investigation of difficult problems, and constantly tries to explain the unknown through observations and logical reasoning.

Take a situation like finding a cure for Alzheimer's. Considered the graveyard of pharmaceutical R&D, some brilliant minds have attempted to create a drug that alleviates the disease but to no avail. The most that we currently have are medications that treat symptoms. The most recent attempt, Aduhelm, was quickly pushed through the FDA even though it showed lackluster results. Society may or may not see a cure.

Whenever a potential solution fails, a scientist would say that more research needs to be done as there might be a mysterious factor that plays a critical role in disease pathology.

**Is there a time when it is no longer rational to seek an explanation given current conditions? Are the explanations that are inherently beyond human powers of investigation? Are there brute facts that simply have no explanation? **

Improve this question
7
  • 2
    See brute fact which cannot be further explained in terms of a deeper, more "fundamental" fact. For instance philosopher James Van Cleve believes that brute necessities cannot be excluded. It's contrary to infinitism and principle of sufficient reason...
    – Double Knot
    Commented Jun 14, 2022 at 21:20
  • "Is there ever a time to say that there is no explanation? Or is human creativity so infinite that a solution will be found?" There is a false dichotomy here. While it is extremely presumptuous to claim that something will never be explained, it still might very well never be, if only because research is constrained by material conditions. Lets say global nuclear war starts tomorrow, advanced research programs like particle accelerators or the ISS will probably be discontinued forever, and all the results they would have found next week, while theoretically in our reach, lost forever.
    – armand
    Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 3:31
  • @armand Ok. What options would be better proposed to fix the false dichotomy?
    – DdogBoss
    Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 4:03
  • 1
    Imho remove the sentence about human creativity to keep the question focused. The amount of research humanity can conduct through its existence being limited by the finite resource at its disposal, creativity is probably not the limiting factor here. Yet, has there is no way we can be sure that all the ways of inquiry about a given question are exhausted, it appears as hubris to claim something can't be explained.
    – armand
    Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 4:23
  • I'd like to endorse @armand's comment about removing the false dichotomy. Also, it would help if you would clarify between three related questions: 1. Is there a time when it is no longer rational to seek an explanation given current conditions? 2. Are the explanations that are inherently beyond human powers of investigation? 3. Are there brute facts that simply have no explanation? Which question are you asking?
    – David Gudeman
    Commented Jun 15, 2022 at 13:53

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

Religion can always explain every phenomena with the explanation that "God did it."

I think scientists could also always offer explanations for any phenomena in the form of hypotheses. However, there may not be enough data or evidence to form a definitive hypothesis or explanation.

For example, take the question: "How did modern jellyfish evolve?" There are several competing hypotheses, but this question may never have a single definitive explanation because jellyfish don't leave much of a fossil record.

Improve this answer
1

Is there a time when it is no longer rational to seek an explanation given current conditions?

It's rational to cease the search for an explanation when a rational explanation has been found but its not irrational to continue the search for an explanation when none has been found. Now the case when a rational explanation is given and the search still continues is up for philosophical debate.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .