Radical Realism: Direct Knowing in Science and PhilosophyIn this eloquent and original book, Edward Pols challenges the linguistic consensus that has dominated Anglo-American philosophy in this century. Against the consensus assumption that the only reality question is about the relation between language and the real, he argues that philosophy is about the world and not merely about the propositional structures we use to interpret the world. The heart of his "radical realism" is that the relation between the knower and the real is prior to the relation between language and the real, and that in this prior relation we are capable of knowing directly a reality independent of the human mind. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
2 | 19 |
The Venue of the Linguis | 83 |
The Venue of Direct Knowing | 122 |
1 | 175 |
Index | 181 |
Common terms and phrases
activity antirealism antirealists argument attend body of language body of language-cum-theory body of theory chalkboard claim cognitive common commonsense experience commonsense world complex consensus realists cum-theory Descartes direct knowing direct rational awareness distinct doctrine dogmas empirical pole ence entertained entities epiphany epistemic epistemology experiential expression facie experience fact flexible Kantian loading formative function formative power function of rational guage Hilary Putnam ical ideal indirect knowledge instance internal realism Kant Kant's kind knower least linguistic consensus linguistic relativism loading of experience merely metaphysics mode of experience nature nonpropositional notion noumenon ontic level ontic power ontology particular philosophers philosophy of science physical physicalist power of rationality principle propositions purports Putnam question radical realism rational awareness rational pole rational-experiential realism-antirealism reality reflexive relation relativism rience scientific realism scientists Sellars sense structure suppose temporospatial things term tion tional awareness U-factor unity virtue W. V. O. Quine Wilfrid Sellars