Objective vs. Subjective Knowledge in Philosophy
Unit 1: Science and Philosophy
Objective Knowledge (Universal, Rigorous, Singular)
Objective knowledge encompasses factual, verifiable information and meaningfully verifiable concepts. It is rigorous, precise, unequivocal, and valid. Scientific theories, which are cumulative, exemplify this type of knowledge. Objective knowledge employs contrastable procedures to determine truth or falsity.
Subjective Knowledge (Particular Perspective)
Subjective knowledge involves eidetic and axiological concerns or values. It is polysemic, with meanings varying according to the thinker. It is plural, offering alternatives, and discontinuous, unlike strict theories. Subjective knowledge is conjectural.
Defining and Characterizing Philosophical Knowledge
Philosophy, the love of wisdom, seeks truth and addresses fundamental human questions. These include:
- What can I know? (Limits of human knowledge)
- What should I do? (Orientation of values/ethics)
- What can I hope for? (Ultimate destiny of humanity – soul and body)
Philosophical inquiry is characterized by:
- Argument: Using concepts and propositions rationally.
- Radicalism: Addressing root causes of fundamental topics and challenges, offering a unique sense of reality.
- Critical Thinking: Openness to revising assumptions.
- Interdisciplinarity: Drawing from various fields of knowledge.
- Historical Context: Understanding arguments within their historical context.
- Holistic Perspective: Focusing on major building blocks of knowledge, reality, humanity, action, and society.
Interdisciplinary References in Philosophical Learning
Philosophy draws upon various thematic areas and related disciplines:
- Knowledge: Natural sciences (neurophysiology), social sciences (psychology), formal science (logic).
- Reality: Natural sciences (astrophysics).
- Humanity: Natural sciences (paleontology), human sciences (general psychology).
- Action: Science (ethology, comparative psychology).
- Society: Human sciences (economics, sociology).
Unit 2: The Hypothetical-Deductive Method
The hypothetical-deductive method is central to experimental science. Its stages include:
1. Observation
- Direct: Observing phenomena through our senses.
- Indirect: Observing through hypothetical constructs (e.g., intelligence, personality).
- Occasional: Observing phenomena that occur regardless of the researcher’s intent.
- Systematic: Planned observation through a structured project.
- Field: Observing in natural conditions with minimal interference.
- Laboratory: Observing in controlled, artificial conditions.
2. Hypothesis Formulation
The scientist formulates a hypothesis—a supposition—to explain a problem. Hypotheses can be:
- Inductive: Suggested directly by observed facts through reasoning.
- Deductive: Originating from the mind of the researcher through intuition or insight.
- Mathematical: Hypothetical constructs based on formal mathematical models.
3. Deduction of Conclusions
A well-formulated hypothesis leads to a set of testable implications or predictions.
4. Testing
Implications are tested against empirical data to determine their truth or falsity.
5. Verification or Falsification
A hypothesis can never be fully verified, as there’s always the possibility of counterexamples. Testable hypotheses lead to different types of laws:
- Deterministic: Laws with complete control over all variables.
- Statistical: Laws without complete control over variables.
- Long, Medium, and Short-Term Laws: Categorized based on their period of validity.