Thursday, March 28, 2019

Is science the only way of knowing?

An economist friend of mine recently recommended Peter Boghassian's book Fear of Knowledge: Against Relativism and Constructivism. I had heard of the book, but my friends very high recommendations of it prompted me to order it. 

My friend and I had been discussing the issue of "critical thinking skills" and how much of the movement that has developed around this concept has been co-opted by postmodernist thinkers.

Since I had to wait for snail mail, I looked the book up at Oxford University Press. Obviously I can't adequately assess the book until I get it, but I notice that the summary at Oxford indicates that that his main line of argument is that postmodernists that postmodernists assume science is not the only way of knowing the world.

This chapter introduces a thesis that is enormously influential in the contemporary academy – Equal Validity: there are many radically different, mutually incompatible, yet ‘equally valid’ ways of knowing the world, with science being just one of them. It explains in a general way how constructivist views of knowledge might be thought to underwrite this thesis.

Boghassian presumably argues against this thesis. Of course, on this particular thesis, I would find myself on the side of the postmodernists. There are clearly other ways of knowing than science. Science could never have been developed if there weren't. 

I have addressed this issue a number of times, including here, here, and here.

Now this doesn't necessarily affect the usefulness of Boghassian's arguments against the postmodernists. In fact, this is the interesting thing about arguments between modernists (of which Boghassian is one) and postmodernists: They're both right in many of their critiques of each other. Modernists limit their toolbox to only one tool, and postmodernists seem to reject limits altogether. 

The holes in modernism's epistemological net exclude things that should not be excluded and the holes in postmodernism's net are so big they let too many things through.

It seems to me many scholars like Boghassian use the word "science" in the same way that they charge postmodernists use "knowledge" or even "thinking skills," that is to say, without clear definition.

If you define science narrowly--as that method by which the hard sciences come to their conclusions, then you exclude universally acknowledged forms of reasoning (such as those practiced by philosophers like Boghassian) that, of necessity, he must himself practice in his critique of postmodernism. And if you define it so broadly as to encompass rational inquiry in general, then to call it "scientific reasoning" is misleading, since it implies only that form of reasoning used in the hard sciences is valid.

In fact, asserting that "scientific reasoning is the only valid form of reasoning" is itself vulnerable to the argument against postmodernism Boghassian apparently uses in one of his chapters; namely, that the assertion is a performative contradiction: If the assertion "scientific reasoning is the only valid form of reasoning" is true, then scientific reason cannot be the only valid form of reasoning since there is no way to arrive at that conclusion using scientific reasoning (unless, again, your definition of scientific reasoning includes all forms of rational inquiry, which, again, is misleading).

In any case, I await the book.

18 comments:

Gary Derek Beckett said...

If you are seeking a Bank Guarantee (BG), SBLC for Lease or Purchase, we are the best financial institution to help you to secure verifiable and easily monetized BG, SBLC and other financial instruments. At SPOT FINANCE, we are a group of experienced bankers, seasoned brokers with years of experience in the financial instrument industry. We deal directly with reliable Providers of BG, SBLC, MT109, MT799, MT760, Loans, Sale and Lease of Financial Instruments issued by Top rated global banks.

Our procedure is TIME SAVING and transparent. With us, you can secure any denomination of BG / SBLC from 10M to 10B (EURO / USD) in time for use in Heavy / Light project financing anywhere in the world.

Basically, we are here to help you move your business to the next level.

Anticipating your interests,
Email: info.spotfinanceltd@gmail.com
Skype: spotfinanceltd

Sincere regards,
Gary Derek Beckett
SPOT FINANCE LTD

Jones said...

He is the best out there,I tested him and he delivered a good job,he helped me settle bank loans,he also helped my son upgrade his scores at high school final year which made him graduate successfully and he gave my son free scholarship into the college,all I had to do was to settle the bills for the tools on the job,I used $500 to get a job of $50000 done all thanks to brillianthackers800@gmail.com,he saved me from all my troubles,sharing this is how I can show gratitude in return for all he has done for me and my family.

66number said...

CONTACT US FOR ALL KINDS OF HACKING JOBs @ We offer professional hacking services,we offer the following services;
-University grades changing
-Bank accounts hack
-Erase criminal records hack
-Facebook hack
-Twitters hack
-email accounts hack
-Grade Changes hack
Contact us on whatsapp + 1 681 532 3704
Email- n17833408@gmail.com

CATCH CHEATING SPOUSE said...

If you feel stuck in your relationship/marriage knowing well that the connection and trust is broken but you don't have enough evidence to break off then contact Dennis on DENNISDFIXER@GMAIL.COM or +1 609 451 7368. He can grant you access to your partners social media accounts, emails and text messages so you can be sure what your partner is up to.. he helped me with what I needed to finalize my divorce and gain custody.. get in touch with him if you in need of such help.

Anonymous said...

IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACTUALLY GET BACK FUNDS LOST TO CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAM? ABSOLUTELY YES! BUT, YOU MUST CONTACT THE RIGHT AGENCY TO ACHIEVE THIS.

Recovery Precinct is a financial regulator, private investigation and funds recovery body. We specialize in cases concerning cryptocurrency, FAKE investment schemes and recovery scam.

Visit www.recoveryprecinct.com now to report your case or contact our support team via the contact information below to get started.

📪 recoveryprecinct@gmail.com

Stay Safe !

Andrea Robertson said...

Real hackers are still out there i came across Ethicalhackers009@gmail.com on the internet and they delivered a perfect job of helping me hack into my cheating spouse phone and got all the message,chats,mails,pictures and even deleted once of the past 8 months, contact them via Whatsapp +14106350697, you can also come back to give your testimony.

Anonymous said...

I never thought I will get scammed by online bitcoin investors which I was warned by friends not to invest online or apply for exchange from unknown online investors, they stole all my life saving ranging to a total sum of $97,800k [ninety seven thousand eight hundred dollars] worth of bitcoin, i started regretting my life untill i came acrose some article online about jamesmckaywizard a geniune hacker who is into any kind of hacking and helping people recover their lost funds via online scam, I still didn't believe bitcoin can ever be recovered, but had to once again trust my guts and insticts. To my greatest surprise mr james was able to carry out the job neatly without any traces or complications all thanks to him and his team for offerring me a top notch services. To that one person or persons out there who really need a true and efficient hacker l would advice you to contact: Email: jamesmckaywizard@gmail.com / What's App:+91 98632 93475

Irene said...

Contact Wizard Judas Recovery Service if you want to recover your stolen BTC funds or need legal advice on how to proceed. They are the best and most trustworthy crew out there. I saw their reviews and contacted them; I received full reimbursement with minimal documentation. I strongly recommend to anyone looking to reclaim lost earnings while investing in Bitcoin. Contact information.. hackerjudas9@gmail.com or Telegram: JUDAS012

Roland Felix said...

This is for everyone who has suffered significant losses from trading binary options and cryptocurrencies. I can guarantee you that I experienced the same confusion and depression you do when you are certain your broker has been defrauding you of a sizable sum of money. I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Aaron Gabriel, a computer whiz, and with his assistance, I was able to recover 80% of my money in no less than 48 hours. I'm incredibly appreciative. I must put this post here as a token of appreciation for his excellent work since I believe someone else could need it. Contact him at Aarongabriel310@gmail.com Please mention that you were referred by me so he can attend to you immediately because he's been careful of imposters and spy's

Sheila Hagan said...

I couldn’t bear the pain of losing all my money to a fake cryptocurrency platform because I had been taken for a fool who trusted the wrong people. I went to the authorities but there was nothing they could do to get back my money from this cryptocurrency platform until my friend told me about Spyweb Cyber Security Service, after my research about Spyweb Cyber Security, I found them to be the most reliable and trustworthy crypto recovery service out there. I provided all the information of my scam to Spyweb Cyber Security Services and my money was recovered within 72 hours. I’m truly grateful for their top-notch service and Spyweb Cyber Security is indeed the best and most reliable cryptocurrency recovery company. I would suggest you contact them if you wish to recover your cryptocurrency.

E-Mail: SPYWEB @ CYBERDUDE. COM
Whats App Contact: +1 323 904 8824

corey oliver said...


THE ONLY LEGITIMATE CRYPTO RECOVERY EXPERT….!!!

Good day Audience, I want to use this great medium to announce this information to the public about ETHICSREFINANCE. few months back, I was seeking an online BTC investment plan when I got scammed for about $172,000. I was so down and didn’t know what to do until I came across a timeline about ETHICSREFINANCE. so I reached out to him and to my greatest surprise, they were able to recover all the funds which I had previously lost to the Devils. I am so glad to share this wonderful news with you all because it cost me nothing to announce a good and reliable Hacker as ETHICREFINANCE, His direct email
ETHICSREFINANCE@GMAIL.COM
reach out to them via Telegram @ethicsrefinance

Anonymous said...


Reclaiming Your Stolen Crypto: A Successful Recovery with Captain WebGenesis.

Fraudsters steal hundreds of millions of pounds from innocent victims every minute using various methods such as phishing links and bogus investment schemes. That is why Captain WebGenesis, a Cyber organized foundation, is equipped with sophisticated recovery tools that are essential to assist fraud victims in recovering their monies. Although these fraudsters are generally intelligent, Captain WebGenesis is similarly designed with Cyber Intelligence (CYBINT) Experts who are very much knowledgeable in the crypto space and are able to penetrate to get to these fraudsters' systems thus obtaining access to the stolen funds and having them returned to your wallet in a timely manner. Captain WebGenesis is Extremely professional, Knowledgeable and always available for questions or consultations.

Get in touch with Captain WebGenesis,
Mail Info; Captainwebgenesis@hackermail. com

More Info ; Captainwebgenesis. com

Linda Anthony said...

Get $2,000 USD everyday for 2 Yeras. Contact for more info email: ( darkwebonlinehackers@gmail.com ) or WhatsApp number : ( +18033921735 )

Anonymous said...


GET YOUR MONEY BACK FROM BITCOIN & CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAMS.

I advise first-time bitcoin investors to do their research before entrusting any of these Bitcoin investment websites with their hard earned funds. They gain your trust by portraying fake huge profits to convince you to put more funds, till when you invest a substantial sum, they intentionally freeze your account and demand for more payments to have your profits released. I had invested with a bogus company that ripped me off $198000 worth of Crypto, this was close to everything I Had in my savings. special thanks to Captain WebGenesis, whose recovery company put in a lot of effort and made sure I had my money back If you ever find yourself in a similar scenario, you can reach out to Captain WebGenesis through;

Email;Captainwebgenesis@ hackermail. com
WhatsApp; +1 (701) 3 14 (27 29.

DONNA ONO said...

My name is Mrs. Donna Ono from Japan I have been married for the past 25 years but unfortunately my husband died 5 years ago, I am having throat cancer and according to the doctor I have less than 2 weeks left, i have no choice than to make this decision, my husband and I made a decision to open an orphanage home since we had no child, but unfortunately he died and right now I cannot carry out that project any more, this is why I want to choose you as my next of kin so that you can help me carry out my last wish on earth, if I don't do this the bank top officials will confiscate the money because they know I am an orphan and a widow, I have prayed before making this decision please I beg you from my hear do not betray this last drop of trust left in me, my email address is em685768@gmail.com, contact me so I can give you more details on what next to do, peace and love from my heart.

Edna said...

My advice to y’all when hiring someone to recover your lost bitcoin: hire any expert so you do not end up like me cause I have hired a whole lots. and I did not get my desired result. that is why i will urge you guys to this genius in Recovering your Lost Bitcoin.he is a Professional that gets the Job done very very well few People are capable of Recovering Bitcoin, be Careful not to Hire Scammers pretending to be Recovery Expert, as they will also scam you of your Funds. You can Recover your Bitcoin by contacting this recovery expert “” (swiftrecoveryservice006@gmail.com) genius that successfully ŘËČÕVËŘED 1.3Million worth of BÍŤČÕÍÑ lost to an investment website. And the job was done within 72hours time. You can also reach them through WhatsApp on +1 (786) 684-0501

Myron Mitchell Lohman said...

Losing your hard-earned Bitcoin or USDT to scams or investment schemes can be an incredibly distressing experience. However, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there is a beacon of hope –Cyber Tech Wizard. This remarkable service stands as a testament to the power of expertise, dedication, and innovation in the realm of cryptocurrency recovery. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of losing your Bitcoin or USDT, Cyber Tech Wizard emerges as the ultimate solution. Highly recommended by countless individuals who have benefited from their services, Cyber Tech Wizard boasts a team of highly skilled and informed cryptocurrency recovery experts. One of the most common questions that individuals facing such situations ask is, "How long will it take to get my lost cryptocurrency back?" The answer to this question can vary depending on various factors, including the complexity of the case and the extent of the scam. However, with Cyber Tech Wizard , you can be rest assured that every effort will be made to expedite the recovery process without compromising on the quality of service. So, how exactly can you get your lost Bitcoin back from an investment scam? This is where the expertise of Cyber Tech Wizard truly shines. Their team of experts leverages cutting-edge resources and methods to trace and recover misplaced cryptocurrency, even in the most challenging of circumstances. From analyzing blockchain transactions to employing forensic techniques, Cyber Tech Wizard leaves no stone unturned in its quest to reclaim what rightfully belongs to its clients. Cyber Tech Wizard understands the urgency of the situation, especially when dealing with con artists who may disappear with your Bitcoin at any moment. Their prompt response and swift action ensure that every effort is made to recover your funds before it's too late. By entrusting your case to Cyber Tech Wizard , you gain a powerful ally who will relentlessly pursue the recovery of your lost Bitcoin, providing you with the peace of mind you deserve. What sets Cyber Tech Wizard apart from other similar services is not just their technical expertise but also their unwavering commitment to their client's success. They prioritize clear communication, transparency, and integrity in all their dealings, ensuring that clients are kept informed and supported throughout the entire recovery process. if you ever find yourself in the unfortunate predicament of losing your Bitcoin or USDT, Cyber Tech Wizard is your best bet for reclaiming what's rightfully yours. With its highly skilled staff, cutting-edge resources, and unwavering dedication, Cyber Tech Wizard stands as a beacon of hope in the often murky waters of cryptocurrency scams. Don't wait until it's too late – reach out to Cyber Tech Wizard through their Email cybertechwizard@cyberservices.com
here today and take the first step towards reclaiming control of your financial future.

Cheng said...


FINALLY I GOT MY LOST BITCOIN BACK ALL THANKS TO KEVIN M HACKER

Hello everyone I want to use this Medium to say big thank you to Recovery Nerds for they helped me recover my stolen crypto worth $250,000 through their hacking skills I tried it I was skeptic but it worked and I got my money back, I’m so glad I came across them early because I thought I was never going to get my money back from those fake online investment websites .. you can also contact them via Email: kevinmitnick100@hackermail.com or WhatsApp via: +12569564498, or Telegram @Kelvinmhacker, and I’m sure you will be happy you did.