Published texts by Rob de Vries
The problem of animal consciousness and animal suffering
Hayek's The Sensory Order is an intriguing book. The essence of the book was contained in a paper... more Hayek's The Sensory Order is an intriguing book. The essence of the book was contained in a paper he had written in 1921. Thereafter Hayek became busy in economics and only in the late 1940s, when public interest in his economic theories faded away, did he find the time to finish it. It was published in 1952, more than thirty years after he first conceived it. It essentially comprises Hayek's criticism of the psychology of perception and the philosophy of mind from before 1918, both of which were dominated by the ideas of Ernst Mach. In 1952 Hayek added to his former criticism of Mach new objections to behaviourism and Gestalt theory. The most important chapters are the first, the second and the last. In the first chapter Hayek states the mind-body problem and related epistemological problems of perception in a way which remains unsurpassed. In the second chapter he presents his solution to these problems. He describes his model of the human mind and the mechanisms of perception in very general (functionalistic) terms. In the last chapter he summarizes the philosophical consequences of his model. In the chapters in between he guesses, on the basis of existing physiological literature from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, how the human mind and human perception are physiologically realized. This part has, of course, been superseded by modern neurophysiology. But in 1952 Hayek's physiological speculations were amazingly modern for someone who was not a professional neuropsychologist or psychophysiologist. Hayek was an outsider. Therefore he did not know D.O. Hebb's Organization of Behaviour (1949) until the final version of his own book was practically finished. Hebb's vision was in so many respects similar to his own that Hayek doubted for a while whether he should publish it. However, Hebb was more concerned with physiological details and less with general principles, which were Hayek's main interest. Hayek thought Hebb did not formulate the general principles as clearly as might have been possible.
Geschiedenis van de vroeg-moderne wetenschap
Recensie van Sociologie: vragen, uitspraken, bevindingen, door W. Ultee, W. Arts & H. Flap, Eco... more Recensie van Sociologie: vragen, uitspraken, bevindingen, door W. Ultee, W. Arts & H. Flap, Economisch Statistische Berichten 1993
Papers by Rob de Vries
… and animal ethics: perspectives from the …, 1997
Keeping pet animals has become epidemic in all modern societies as has intensive livestock husban... more Keeping pet animals has become epidemic in all modern societies as has intensive livestock husbandry. Animal welfare is not an unimportant issue in our society, thus it is fortunate that research workers from so many disciplines are concerned with the problems ...
Annals of Systems Research, 1978
In this paper we discuss the status of systems theory. We start the discussion by making some rem... more In this paper we discuss the status of systems theory. We start the discussion by making some remarks about matters of status. Then the development of a critical rationalist philosophy of science is dealt with. We emphasize the role of metaphysics. First Popper’s falsificationism and Lakatos’ methodology of scientific research programmes are briefly reviewed, followed by our own view, which has been influenced by Watkins’ ideas of metaphysical research programmes. In the remaining paragraphs Bunge’s view of models and methods is described and criticized; the relations between systems theory, mathematics and metaphysics are elaborated; and some recent approaches to systems theory are considered. In the concluding remarks we will try to point out some problems which remain to be solved in the methodology and philosophy of science in relation to systems theory.
Systems Theory and the Philosophy of Science, 1978
In this paper we discuss the status of systems theory. We start the discussion by making some rem... more In this paper we discuss the status of systems theory. We start the discussion by making some remarks about matters of status. Then the development of a critical rationalist philosophy of science is dealt with. We emphasize the role of metaphysics. First Popper's falsificationism and Lakatos' methodology of scientific research programmes are briefly reviewed, followed by our own view, which has been influenced by Watkins' ideas of metaphysical research programmes. In the remaining paragraphs Bunge's view of models and methods is described and criticized ; the relations between systems theory, mathematics and metaphysics are elaborated; and some recent approaches to systems theory are considered. In the concluding remarks we will try to point out some problems which remain to be solved in the methodology and philosophy of science in relation to systems theory.
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Published texts by Rob de Vries
Papers by Rob de Vries