The Chronicle: Colloquy: Responses

Professor Ryan claims that vitalism can't be reconciled with observations, because "It says that vital spirits cause biological phenomena. Observations prove otherwise."

Observations do not prove that vital spirits are not causally involved in biological phenomena, but only that we need not suppose that they are involved to account for those phenomena. That is weak falsification.

: -- Todd Moody, assoc. professor of philosophy, St. Joseph's University (posted 2/11, 2:45 p.m., U.S. Eastern time)

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