Human Knowledge: From Curiosity to Scientific and Philosophical Inquiry
Namely, survival is a question.
Humans have basic needs (fire burns, water wets) and the curiosity to understand why things are the way they are. Why is water wet? Why does fire burn? Aristotle said humans have a need to know to avoid ignorance, which subjects us to anxieties.
In early Greek philosophy, there was a relationship between knowledge and happiness. Being inquisitive and gaining knowledge brought happiness. So, there is a relationship between knowledge and happiness, not necessarily between truth and happiness.
We pretend to know the truth (the truth of why water is wet, etc.) and we don’t want to be deceived. Science offers a way to know things, although it may not know everything. The subject has knowledge and can transmit it to others through tradition (knowledge is ever-growing).
Science
Science, or episteme in Greek, initially aimed to know. Later, the focus shifted to understanding the reasons behind things. Modern science relies on mathematics and experimentation. Ancient Greek science was based on observation and experience, leading to hypotheses. Modern science, however, is based on experimentation and applying mathematics to study reality.
Classification of Science:
- Formal: Frequent use of demonstration and inference.
- Empirical (Natural): Uses induction and deduction for demonstration.
- Human/Social: Hermeneutic understanding.
Learn Philosophy
Philosophers encourage critical thinking about daily occurrences, like the sunrise. Philosophical inquiry arises from doubt and admiration. Children exemplify this curiosity. Problems can be approached in two ways: mythically (mythos) and rationally (logos).
Mythos: Cannot be corroborated, explains phenomena through gods and supernatural forces, explanations change over time.
Logos: Attempts to justify, gives reasons, provides arguments, seeks universal proof.
Reason
Reason is the faculty we use to think and know. There are two uses of reason:
- Theoretical Reason: Allows us to know the truth and falsehood of reality, oriented towards understanding reality.
- Practical Reason: Guides action, discerning right from wrong.
Knowledge
Epistemology studies knowledge, pursued through theoretical reason. Knowledge consists of apprehending reality and potentially transmitting it to others. Knowledge involves two poles:
- Subject: The protagonist of knowing (idealism).
- Object: What is known (realism).
These poles give rise to three degrees of knowledge:
- Opinion: The subject takes something as true without security or justification.
- Beliefs: Subjective justification; a person is convinced of something but lacks objective justification.
- Knowing (Saber): Objective and subjective justification.
A key question about knowledge is whether it’s possible. Two groups of responses emerge:
- YES:
- Naive: Those who don’t question, but this is fragile and can lead to error.
- Dogmatism: A sure attitude about knowledge.
- Perspectivism: Reality can be known from various perspectives.
- NO:
- Skepticism: There’s never sufficient justification to accept something as knowledge; we can’t have reliable knowledge.
- Subjectivism and Realism: Subjectivism: Universal knowledge is impossible because knowledge depends on the subject. Realism: Knowledge depends on each society, group, or era.
- Criticism (Kant): We must analyze to know our limits. Kantian critique of reason: Know until you know. General criticism: All knowledge is fallible and must be tested.