Critical Realism is a philosophical position (with many forms within different disciplines) which affirms that reality can be known, but only through a critical process. It gives way neither to thoroughgoing skepticism or naive realism, but affirms the real and our capability to come to a grasp of it.
Skepticism (phenomenalism) denies that what is known refers in some way to reality.
Naive realism claims that knowing is something like seeing, that the real is what is out there now, immediately accessible to the senses.
Critical realism over and against both, understands knowledge to be the result of a process. Reality is neither completely shrouded nor easily accessible. The world we live in is a world mediated by meaning, and knowing it requires an active engagement with it, an attentiveness and a drive to know.
3 comments:
I have been interested in Philosophy of Science for some time. I tend to have an antirealist attitude towards it.
Most biblical realist positions refer to the Romans 1:18-20 passage regarding God's eteral power and divine nature being clearly seen in His Creation. I need to spend a lot more time looking into this but the mandate for any sort of realism from this passage appears to be a very, very, very critical realism. We can know his eternal power and divine nature from the splendid beauty and orderliness of his creation. We can learn this from science but I don't think we can "know" much else.
Please take a look at my posts:
Is Scientific Realism Biblically Warranted?
Is Science Logical
kd5det,
Thanks for your comment. I tend to agree with you. I would like to engage in some dialogue, but the links to your posts aren't working. Is the problem on my end?
Anwyay, the Romans 1 passages are not talking about scientific investigations proving God's eternal power, etc. Really, it's about how God can hold Gentiles accountable for their sin. The point is that they should have recognized from nature these attributes about God, namely that he is the creator.
I tend towards epistemological humility in terms of what we can call established knowledge versus what we can hold as probably true...
That's just your interpretation Tom, reflecting your subjectivity... :)
It's time to learn how to use html code, like this the website of the member of my church is running for gov'r of MN.
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