Epistemological Realism, Representation, and Intentionality
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Erwin Tegtmeier
Abstract
Epistemological realism is anti-idealism. Idealism was dominant the 18th century and is still very influential, particularly in its Kantian version. The rise of idealism is the consequence of a change of paradigm made by Descartes. In the classical tradition cognition was understood as transfer. Descartes conceived it as representation of objects by ideas in the mind. Already the Cartesians were aware the difficulty to connect idea and object. The idealists then solved it in their way by collapsing both. An epistemologically realist view was developed by the later Brentano who rejected the representational analysis of cognition and assumed a direct and specific intentional relation between mental states and objects. Brentano’s new view has been misconstrued by those who introduced the subject of intentionality into mainstream analytical philosophy. It was even portrayed as a kind of representationalism although Brentano’s explicit aim was to overcome it.
Abstract
Epistemological realism is anti-idealism. Idealism was dominant the 18th century and is still very influential, particularly in its Kantian version. The rise of idealism is the consequence of a change of paradigm made by Descartes. In the classical tradition cognition was understood as transfer. Descartes conceived it as representation of objects by ideas in the mind. Already the Cartesians were aware the difficulty to connect idea and object. The idealists then solved it in their way by collapsing both. An epistemologically realist view was developed by the later Brentano who rejected the representational analysis of cognition and assumed a direct and specific intentional relation between mental states and objects. Brentano’s new view has been misconstrued by those who introduced the subject of intentionality into mainstream analytical philosophy. It was even portrayed as a kind of representationalism although Brentano’s explicit aim was to overcome it.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Preface v
- Table of Contents vii
-
1. Constructivism and Beyond
- Are Philosophers′ Actions Realist or Constructivist? 3
- On the Non-Dualizing Rhetoric. Some Preliminary Remarks 17
- Ist der Konstruktivismus selbstwidersprüchlich? 31
- Die Wahrheitsspieler. Strategische Kommunikation als Spiel 45
- Who Wants to Be a Non-Dualist and Why? 59
- Jean Piaget und die Erfindung von Radikalem Konstruktivismus und Kybernetik Zweiter Ordnung 73
- Two Ways of Exploring the World 83
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2. Epistemology/Epistemological Relativism
- The Truth of Social Constructivism 103
- The Objectivity of Epistemic Values and the Argument from Immersion 117
- Epistemological Realism, Representation, and Intentionality 129
- Angelina’s Truth: Genetic Knowledge, Preventive Medicine, and the Reality of the Possible 137
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3. Realism versus Relativism
- Neither Realism nor Anti-Realism: How to approach the Anthropocene? 153
- Ein Bild – ohne Betrachter – hielt uns gefangen. Wittgensteins ambivalenter Abschied vom Realismus 167
- Relativisms and Their Opposites 187
- When Paul Met Ludwig: Wittgensteinian Comments on Boghossian’s Antirelativism 203
- Fighting Relativism: Wittgenstein and Kuhn 215
- Wissenschaftstheoretische Überlegungen jenseits von Realismus, Relativismus und Konstruktivismus 233
- Realism without Foundation 241
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4. Ontology/Ontological Relativism
- Constructed Reality 255
- Ontological Relativism as Transcendental Nominalism 269
- Realism about Identity and Individuality of Conscious Beings 279
- What is the Thing Whose Measure is Money? 293
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5. Values and Value Relativism
- Relativism about Morality 301
- Slavery and Justice: Williams and Wiggins 313
- A Plurality of True Moralities? Tracing ‘Truth’ in Moral Relativism 327
- Zum Wert von Vertrauen 339
- Die Erfindung der Sein-Sollen-Dichotomie 353
- Wird die Moral von uns geschaffen? 365
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6. Wittgenstein
- The Sociology of the Supernatural: Wittgenstein’s Lecture on Ethics 381
- Can We Piece Together a Coherent Account of the “Person” from the Writings of Wittgenstein? 397
- Wittgensteins Philosophieren zwischen Kodex und Strategie: Logik, Schach und Farbausdrücke 409
- Wittgenstein, Kierkegaard and the Significance of Silence 425
- Zweifeln können und zweifeln wollen: Über Gewissheit §217–231 435
- Rules and Privacy: Remarks on Philosophical Investigations §202 449
- Index of names 459
- Index of subjects 465
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Preface v
- Table of Contents vii
-
1. Constructivism and Beyond
- Are Philosophers′ Actions Realist or Constructivist? 3
- On the Non-Dualizing Rhetoric. Some Preliminary Remarks 17
- Ist der Konstruktivismus selbstwidersprüchlich? 31
- Die Wahrheitsspieler. Strategische Kommunikation als Spiel 45
- Who Wants to Be a Non-Dualist and Why? 59
- Jean Piaget und die Erfindung von Radikalem Konstruktivismus und Kybernetik Zweiter Ordnung 73
- Two Ways of Exploring the World 83
-
2. Epistemology/Epistemological Relativism
- The Truth of Social Constructivism 103
- The Objectivity of Epistemic Values and the Argument from Immersion 117
- Epistemological Realism, Representation, and Intentionality 129
- Angelina’s Truth: Genetic Knowledge, Preventive Medicine, and the Reality of the Possible 137
-
3. Realism versus Relativism
- Neither Realism nor Anti-Realism: How to approach the Anthropocene? 153
- Ein Bild – ohne Betrachter – hielt uns gefangen. Wittgensteins ambivalenter Abschied vom Realismus 167
- Relativisms and Their Opposites 187
- When Paul Met Ludwig: Wittgensteinian Comments on Boghossian’s Antirelativism 203
- Fighting Relativism: Wittgenstein and Kuhn 215
- Wissenschaftstheoretische Überlegungen jenseits von Realismus, Relativismus und Konstruktivismus 233
- Realism without Foundation 241
-
4. Ontology/Ontological Relativism
- Constructed Reality 255
- Ontological Relativism as Transcendental Nominalism 269
- Realism about Identity and Individuality of Conscious Beings 279
- What is the Thing Whose Measure is Money? 293
-
5. Values and Value Relativism
- Relativism about Morality 301
- Slavery and Justice: Williams and Wiggins 313
- A Plurality of True Moralities? Tracing ‘Truth’ in Moral Relativism 327
- Zum Wert von Vertrauen 339
- Die Erfindung der Sein-Sollen-Dichotomie 353
- Wird die Moral von uns geschaffen? 365
-
6. Wittgenstein
- The Sociology of the Supernatural: Wittgenstein’s Lecture on Ethics 381
- Can We Piece Together a Coherent Account of the “Person” from the Writings of Wittgenstein? 397
- Wittgensteins Philosophieren zwischen Kodex und Strategie: Logik, Schach und Farbausdrücke 409
- Wittgenstein, Kierkegaard and the Significance of Silence 425
- Zweifeln können und zweifeln wollen: Über Gewissheit §217–231 435
- Rules and Privacy: Remarks on Philosophical Investigations §202 449
- Index of names 459
- Index of subjects 465