Reality vs Belief 1
The intersection of truth (reality) and beliefs (thoughts)
Knowledge
Impacts perception, communication, and may lead to conflict
Limitations of different types of belief formation
Knowledge is the product of rational reflection
Rationalism
Has maximum positive and minimal negative correlations to the object or phenomenon under study
A “good” model
We actively generate plenty of potential models; the role of the outside world simply reinforces some of thesemodels, while eliminating others
Radical Constructivism
Epistemology
For Plato, an awareness(apprehension) of absolute, universal Ideas or Forms which exist independent of our awareness of them
Ancient Epistemology
The 2 main aspects of Post-Renaissance Epistemology
Empiricism and Rationalism
Should be as simple as possible
A 'good' model
Anything inconsistent with the bulk of other beliefs someone already has will tend to be rejected
Individual constructivism
The nature, methods, limitations, and validity of knowledge
What does epistemology study?
We are relatively passive receptors. Nature instructs us.
Ancient Epistemology
Knowledge is constructed in order to adapt to the environment
Evolutionary Epistemology
Radical constructivism, Individual constructivism, Social constructivism, and Memetics
Potentially dangerous ways of forming beliefs ('knowing')
It can cause one to reject new scientific proof, valid studies
Individual constructivism
A priori speculation about as yet unanswerable topics
Metaphysics
Emphasized logic, but still believed knowledge was an awareness of universal“truths” and “absolutes”
Aristotle
An on-going process at different levels, biological as well as psychological or social
Evolutionary Epistemology
Because it may lead to relativism (any model constructed by a subject is as good as any other) [see“Alternative Facts”]
The danger of radical constructivism
Consensus between different people in a group is the ultimate criterion to judge knowledge
Social constructivism
Attempts to clarify the concepts we use to define reality
Metaphysics
Knowledge is the product of sensory perception
Empiricism
Knowledge consists of models that attempt to represent the environment
Pragmatic Epistemology
There is no way to distinguish adequate or 'true' knowledge from inadequate or 'false' knowledge
A danger of radical constructivism
“Truth” or “reality” will be accorded only to those constructions on which most people of a social group agree
Social constructivism