David Hume’s test of the Cartesian epistemological framework

David Hume This post follows upon this post. Hume's approach to philosophy was both more commonsensical than Descartes' and less physicalist than Hobbes'. Much like Descartes', Hume's philosophy begins with questions of cognition rather than being. An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding was written primarily as a scrutiny of the operations of the mind. This endeavor … Continue reading David Hume’s test of the Cartesian epistemological framework →

Empiricist epistemology – Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes This post will make more sense if the reader reads this first. Empiricist epistemology Thomas Hobbes began several major works of political philosophy by first discussing the nature of sensation and its underlying significance for understanding political matters. Similarly, David Hume's An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding is simply that, an investigation of human … Continue reading Empiricist epistemology – Thomas Hobbes →

Cartesian epistemological method

From: http://www.unk.com/blog/the-hypnotic-art-of-confusion/ Through the epistemological turn, Descartes’ philosophical framework – his foundationalism, methodology, and philosophical assumptions – continues to influence and shape the contemporary philosophy of science. Cartesian epistemology is best known for its method of universal doubt. Dissatisfied with his own education, as well as with the state of academic and philosophical debate, Descartes … Continue reading Cartesian epistemological method →

Descartes and the epistemological turn

Rene Descartes Traditional epistemology Epistemology is the area of philosophy that seeks to answer questions about our knowing, how that knowing is justified, and how grounds for justification are established. Epistemological naturalists often use the phrase traditional epistemology to describe the Cartesian tradition of philosophical inquiry, which began by asking epistemological questions prior to any … Continue reading Descartes and the epistemological turn →

Hume’s problem of induction

David Hume's problem of induction makes for an interesting case study in which to see the division between intellectualism and conceptualism play out. Below I state what Hume takes the problem to be. Elsewhere, I discuss Popper's conceptualist treatment of Hume's problem. The problem stated In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Hume examines the sources … Continue reading Hume’s problem of induction →

Intellectualism or Conceptualism?

I have struggled for some time to find the thread that connects a number of divisions that I've brought up on this blog. For example, there is the division of the context of discovery from the context of justification. This anti-psychologistic position originates with Frege and is carried forward by Wittgenstein, the logical positivists, and … Continue reading Intellectualism or Conceptualism? →

Insight as mathematical development

Lonergan has shown us five features of an insight. The release of the tension of inquiryIts sudden and unexpected characterIts resulting from inner rather than outer conditionsThat it pivots between the concrete and abstractThat each new insight eventually becomes habitual Additionally, he has shown us how the various elements of an insight relate, resulting in … Continue reading Insight as mathematical development →

Insight: Definitions and primitive terms

This post completes a series of posts in on the nature and moments of insight. Nominal and explanatory definition Lonergan's sixth observation concerns different kinds of definition. To begin with, he has nominal and explanatory definition in mind. As Euclid defined a straight line as a line lying evenly between its extremes, so he might … Continue reading Insight: Definitions and primitive terms →

Defining a circle

I have read this section of Insight many times. Each time I’ve tried to summarize, restate, or rephrase it, but have failed each time. Perhaps it’s because the content is an exposition of an example. Whatever the cause, know that much of what follows quotes whole passages of Lonergan's text. My previous post introduced Lonergan's … Continue reading Defining a circle →

Insight is pivotal for epistemology

I get the sense that I have finally identified where my argument will start. Of course, I've written a prospectus, spent years reading and loosely organizing notes, but my recent discovery of Robert Henman's work on the implications of Lonergan's Generalized Empirical Method for neuroscience has provided me with a case study of sorts that … Continue reading Insight is pivotal for epistemology →