You shouldn’t reject parts of evolution because Malthus used them to justify his political theory
This is not what I said. I said that, according to David Harvey, Darwin based his theory of evolution on the writings of Malthus. I’m saying that I believe that this has flawed the theory, as it is based partially on a flawed premise. It doesn’t make the theory completely unusable, a good, incomplete, flawed theory can still make correct predictions. but in certain circumstances the inherent logic, the way it handles certain questions, it will produce flawed conclusions. This is true for every system of formal logic, it is an inherent contradiction of all logical systems (epistemic crisis and incompleteness.) But to varying degrees, and to what extent, and how it produces these flawed conclusions is important to consider.
The best example I can think of while sitting in my car about to go unload groceries is gynecology. Does it effectively diagnose or treat disease and abnormalities? Yes. Do we have a good enough mastery of human reproduction to alter the likelihood of pregnancy? Also yes. The science is sound. But the practice of gynecology is often needlessly, senselessly painful, almost cruel, even when practiced by conscientious caring doctors. Why? It’s because the founder of gynecology made his discoveries by torturing and experimenting on living slave women, without anesthetics, and many parts of that tradition persist. Because they haven’t been readdressed or reconsidered. And maybe because it serves some other social purpose as well.
Science often fails as a form of critique and self discovery. So I’m just out here asking questions to improve my own understanding. I’m a little skeptical of your use of the term “scientifically sound.” Especially coming from a fellow hexbear who should know about bourgeois scientism.
Thanks for your input! I’ll see what I can find on Haldane, that seems like a good place to continue for me