Epistemology and Evolution

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It allows us to bring more sophistication to our way of being in the world such as how we study, what we study and how we relate to people and the environment around us. It is essential to the evolution of our human experience. Pragmatism and Feminism are two examples of philosophical movements under the idea of epistemology that have enhanced our philosophical awareness. Professor Foster said, “Pragmatism and Feminist Epistemology both challenge the view of knowledge as a detached, intellectual activity.” They both agree with the fundamental fact that our thoughts and actions are connected. They believe that our attitudes and behaviors directly affect the way we interact with the world around us. One very simple example is realizing that fire needs oxygen in order to burn. It was discovered, confirmed by science and brought change to our thoughts and how we relate to it. A more advanced example would be creating a movement for women to have full and equal participation within society. Without examples like these we would all be living like underground prisoners never seeing the light of day like Socrates’ Allegory of the Cave suggests. Therefore, epistemology has proven to help us move forward both scientifically and morally by challenging us to reflect, refine and change ideas and or knowledge of the past.

Pragmatism and Feminism agree on the fundamentals facts, however feminism takes pragmatism a step further by morally questioning Western Philosophy and its root. Feminists criticize for example, that western philosophy only gave examples of knowledge and experience from a man’s point of view. I have mixed feeling on this. Being that I have found great respect of many historical philosophers, I have a hard time disagreeing with much of their findings just because it was mostly from a male point of view. Whatever point of view some of the ideas came from, it did help get us to wear we are today with some success. Therefore, I prefer to look at it as parts of philosophical history that are in agreement on a universal levels while other parts need some more progressive refinement. For example most would agree on, the Pragmatist Charles Sanders Peirces’ belief that being open to inquire about science will allow us to become closer to our beliefs.  I also think there are some of those parts that need to be contemplated a little further, such as including a female perspective which gives birth to the Feminist Movement. I think the feminist movement if not taken out of context can be very healthy for our universal philosophical needs. It can deepen our awareness by reminding modern day philosophers to keep information more universal. It is my opinion that as long as Feminists commit to exploring and communicating their points in a non threatening and accusatory ways, they may prevent the opposing sides from shutting down and instead build a bridge to aid in the maturity of modern day philosophy. Feminists could do this by keeping Sara Ruddick in mind. She has famously said, “mothering embodies its own model of knowledge, involving such traits as caring, intimacy, responsibility and trust.” This point is being more widely accepted as truth, but strongly depends upon the way it is being conveyed. The examples that I talk about here relates directly back to what I was explaining in the beginning of my blog. Epistemology is not only the study of knowledge but key in the evolution in our human experience. 

The Confinements of Our Bodies, Our Minds, Our World...

Out of all of the philosophers we have studied so far this semester I find myself in agreement with Immanuel Kant the most. I agree with his stance on the fact that all knowlege is based on our senses. Kant states that "we impose a universal and necessary structure on experience by the way our minds organize the contents of experience. Therefore, the world which we live in and  the bodies and minds that we temporairly occupy of which we experience as reality cannot be experienced in any other way except as Kant says "within the rational structure of our minds." We organize our world with duality. Everything has a cause and an affect. Whether we discover that the thing that we tasted was sour and we labled it a lemon, or realize that the drops that fell from the sky made us wet, or even the logical and mathematical fact that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. All of this was experienced, and or was a universal law or truth that is true only with in the rational structure of our minds. They all contain duality. Can you name anything in life that does not contain this? We have light, dark, breathing in breathing out, life and death and on and on. This is our reality as understood by our human experience. Kant refers to this also as our "phenomena" which are the things as they appear to us that exist in the world of experience on page 123 of The Philosophical Journey. Kant's theory also believes that there is noumena which is the things in themselves that exist outside our experience which we can never know. This noumena is forever unavailable to us as long as we are in this world and consumed by our bodies and minds. I am comfortable with this belief as it leaves room for logical explanations and or for something greater to exist and or some explanation for no explanation to ever be able to exist within this realm.

Methodological Skepticism and Our Daily Lives

According to Descartes, we are more certain of our thoughts, the content of our minds, than we are of the world around us, and even of mathematical or logical truths. He uses 'methodological skepticism' to reach this conclusion.

What do you think about methodological skepticism? Do we ever follow this procedure in our daily lives, or do we do the opposite. In other words, do we tend to believe things until it becomesimpossible  to believe them, rather than doubting everything we can? If so, does this suggest that methological skepticism is not a good strategy?

Descartes ‘methodological skepticism’ helped lead him to the conclusion “cogito ergo sum” or “I think therefore I am,”which seems to be right on point for me. During Descartes “Meditations on First Philosophy,” he states, “I must finally conclude that this proposition I am, I exist is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind.” What I believe he is saying here is that if we are the very existence that doubts existence then we most certainly exist. He goes on to use the idea of a “malicious demon,” controlling your mind. This seems radical, although his point was that even if there was a demon controlling us, the very fact that we have any doubt shows that we are apart from this “malicious demon.”

 I use a form of ‘methodological skepticism’ in my daily life while practicing my zen meditation, however I must say that I don’t go around speaking about it on a regular basis. I think most people, myself included are not always ready to go around doubting our existence on a daily basis. I do think there are times that ‘methodological skepticism could come in handy in our daily lives if we remember to use it. One example we could keep Descartes method in mind is when dealing with our perceptions of others, and or difficult situations. Many of us tend to believe things until it becomes absolutely impossible not to. One of the most perfect examples is from a report I had recently watched by PBS.org called “Buying the War.” I must admit that the only reason I began watching it was because it was assigned in my philosophy class. Anything in regards to that topic I tend not to want to fill my mind with. Surprisingly enough, I could not stop watching this program. It was both amusing and concerning how every person, including the very liberal reporters of the New York Times were “buying the war” and ignoring their skepticism in order to avoid slander. It became about business, and money rather than seeking and reporting the truth. This is a perfect example of when 'methodological skepticism could have come to good use." 

Philosophy, The Socratic Method and Zen Buddhist Koans

In the Allegory of the Cave, Socrates suggests that, without philosophical education we are all like prisoners in a cave. I am in agreement with this. Some may consider Socrates belief of philosophical education to be pessimistic. I do not believe that Socrates was expecting the worst from the people of Athens by asking them to think and to question. If for example the United States did not take time to consider or inquire about such subjects such as basic human rights we would still have slaves, women could not vote and only a conservative white man would be able to hold public office just to name a few. The definition of philosophy is: "the rational investigation of the truths and principals of being, knowledge, or conduct" (dictionary.com). Without this we are stuck like the prisoners in Socrates' Allegory of the Cave. We stay with what we know and what makes us feel safe and comfortable instead of challenging ourselves to think about the fundamentals of basic human rights. Individuals need to constantly reinvent themselves in order for natural development and evolution to occur. Societies are no different. How do we do this? We begin with Philosophical Education and with this we can progress to more civilized ways of being.
There are several ways to approach philosophical education or 'enlightenment.' One way is the Socaratic Method. In The Allegory of the Cave Socrates demonstrates the Socratic method by giving an example of an image to his student which provokes the student to ask questions about reality. I have studied Zen Buddhism since 2006 and am quickly finding parallels of the Socratic Method with that of Zen. One example is that a Zen student receives a Koan from the Roshi in Dokusan while in meditation practice. The student takes this Koan or riddle back to their meditation practice and ponders on it. This could take from one hour of sitting up to years of sitting for understanding or enlightenment of the koan to occur. Understanding the Koan may allow one to experience reality in a different way by the realization of delusions or false beliefs that cannot be modified by facts. Once the Roshi feels you have understood the Koan, you move on to the next and the next and the next. Enlightenment or education is endless and comes about only in the "readiness of time" (Eido Roshi).
I am certain that there are many other forms of philosophical education or enlightenment that I am not aware of and I am open to hearing any other views and responses on this. I find other views stimulating to the mind and spirit and am confident that good people of any race or faith are all in search of the same truth and harbor the same relativity at its root.