Then let's talk about empty. We know that the larger the extension of a concept, the less its connotation has. For example, the extension of furniture is larger than that of table, so the connotation of furniture is less than that of table. Tables vary in shape and color, but at least they all have legs and surfaces, which can serve as the connotation of the table concept. But furniture does not necessarily have legs and surfaces, so leg and surface can not serve as the connotation of furniture. Philosophy has the largest extension and therefore the least connotation. The Origin, Noumenon and Being by philosophers must be the emptiest concepts with all concrete attributes abstracted. Aristotle called philosophy as metaphysics, which means to surpass physics. The reason why metaphysics can surpass physics is that it reduces more thoroughly, abstracts more thoroughly and has less connotation than physics.
All theories are abstract theories beyond experience. Philosophy is the most abstract theory, so philosophical concepts have the emptiest connotations. Philosophers always talk about the most abstract concepts such as Origin, Noumenon, existence, transcendence, idea, Tao, matter, consciousness, law, truth and value. It would not be like philosophy if always talking about concrete things. Virtual means empty. "Virtual is to know the real condition." The real world cannot be changed without empty theories.
The process of abstraction is the process of reduction. The process of reduction is the process to gradually decrease connotation and gradually increase extension. For example, all sparrows are birds, all birds are animals, all animals are living things, all living things are systems, all systems are matter, and so on. The more thorough the reduction, the deeper the research. The deeper the research, the more empty the theory. The process of reduction comes to the end and you get to the Origin. The Origin is the fundamental cause, the root cause of all phenomena and problems. This root cause is the most fake, the largest, the emptiest. The deepest understanding of the world is necessarily fake, large and empty.
In short, the content of philosophy is fake, large and empty. The purpose of philosophy is to serve practice, to realize truth, goodness and beauty. The reason why the specific natural and social sciences need the support of philosophy is precisely because philosophy has this character of fake, large and empty.
4.TOO WISE TO BE WISE
When scientific research is abstract, problems can be analyzed and solved. Science can give people a pair of angel eyes to see the world, can discover the law of the world, can explain the world in simple language, can transform the world with simple methods. Science can make us devise strategies within the command tent and gain a decisive victory a thousand miles away.
But each subject can only solve one aspect of the problems, sociology can not solve problems of astronomy, astronomy can not solve problems of chemistry, chemistry can not solve problems of physics. Philosophers wished to invent a theory that could solve all problems. Science is divided into many disciplines while philosophy is not divided into disciplines.