The philosophical postmodernists, a rebel crew milling beneath the black flag of anarchy, challenge the very foundations of science and traditional philosophy. Reality, they propose, is a state constructed by the mind, not perceived by it. In the most extravagant version of the constructivism, there is not "real" reality, no objective truths external to mental activity, only prevailing versions disseminated by ruling social groups. Nor can ethics be firmly grounded, given that each society creates its own codes for the benefit of the same oppressive forces.
Wilson, Edward O., Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, Vintage Books, 1998, p. 44.
...is in the mind of the beholder? ...originator?
About Me
- mike/
- You stop learning when you die... So, I went into Education as a career. I love working with kids. They are refreshing and real... until they get to sixth grade, then all hell breaks loose.... now I'm enjoying the fruits of my work - I think...
1 comment:
...no objective truths external to mental activity....
What is the difference between constructing and perceiving?
I perceive the concept of a house before I construct it. I construct the perception of a house even before perceiving the concept of a house before I construct it.
Absolutely, positively confusing? I wonder if that's why Wilson refers to the postmodernists as "a rebel crew milling about the flag of anarchy..."
Mike
Post a Comment