Theories Of Knowledge Absolutism Pragmatism Realism

Author : Leslie J Walker S J
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 : 9781721838431
Total Pages : 550 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (384 download)

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Download or read book Theories of Knowledge - Absolutism Pragmatism Realism written by Leslie J Walker S J and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-06-30 with total page 550 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction 8Part I. Psychological Analysis of Cognition. 33I. The Data of Experience: Sense-Perception 33II. The Data of Experience: Conceptual Thought 47III. The Psychology of Criticism and the Distinction of Subject 63and ObjectIV. Reality as Sentient Experience 78V. Postulation and the Experimental Theory of Knowledge 103VI. Conception and the Cognitive Relation 132VII. Genetic Psychology and the Faculties 153Part II. The Metaphysical Conditions of Knowledge. 170VIII. Apriorism and Absolutism 170IX. Criticism of Apriorism 197X. Criticism of Absolutism 211XI. The Philosophy of Pure Experience: Exposition 242XII. The Philosophy of Pure Experience: Criticism 263XIII. The Conditions of Knowledge Ex Parte Objecti 284XIV. The Conditions of Knowledge Ex Parte Subjecti: The Senses 304XV. The Conditions of Knowledge Ex Parte Subjecti: The Intellect 318Part III. The Epistemological Value of Cognition 339XVI. Development and Validity 339XVII. Pragmatism and Physical Science 363XVIII. Realism and Physical Science 383XIX. Absolute Truth 408XX. The Nature of Pragmatic Truth 425XXI. The Value of Pragmatic Truth 449XXII. Pragmatic Criteria of Truth 480XXIII. Criteria of Error in Realism 506Concluding Chapter 529CognitionThe Psychological Analysis -- its Metaphysical Conditions,and its Epistemological ValueINTRODUCTION§ 1. Cognition is an act of the mind, one of the three primary functions into which modern psychology divides all psychical activity. But it is more than this; it implies a relatio ad extra, a reference to something other than itself, a something we call an object in contradistinction from the subject, which is the mind itself that knows. To discover the nature of this relation is the aim of a theory of knowledge. Hence its problem is three-fold. We have to analyse psychologically the nature and function of those mental activities by which knowledge is acquired and to discuss the influence which they have upon one another; we have to enquire into the conditions of knowledge, to ask what precisely is to be understood by subject and object, and how far knowledge is due to the activity of the one, how far to that of the other; and we have to examine the notions of validity, truth, objectivity, and to determine the criterion by which we may decide when these notions are applicable to an act of cognition, and when they are not. No one of these aspects of the problem can be left out if our treatment of the subject is to be adequate. A theory of knowledge which fails to define its position in regard to any one of them is incomplete. At the same time the scope of the theory of knowledge is so vast, the terms which an epistemologist uses are capable of so many different shades of meaning, the analysis of mental processes which he institutes have given apparently such divergent results, and the relations which he finds to exist between mind on the one hand and objective reality on the other admit of so many different interpretations, that some division of the subject must perforce be made; and the obvious division is that which I have indicated above. Accordingly, we shall discuss first the psychology of cognition; secondly, its meta physical conditions; and, lastly, its epistemological value, i.e., the objectivity and validity of cognitive acts and the criteria by which we distinguish the true from the false.