Comments on: Roots of modern epistemology http://aldenswan.com/2008/07/modern-epistemology/ free speech, critical thinking, and really good coffee Wed, 16 May 2012 01:35:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: me http://aldenswan.com/2008/07/modern-epistemology/comment-page-1/#comment-821 me Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:31:53 +0000 http://www.aldenswan.com/?p=413#comment-821 I Kant say that I disagree with you... Augustine's thinking, as you state above, is interesting in light of Godel's Theorem - that we can only objectively understand a system from outside the system. Godel was thinking mathematically, but I think most philosophers agree that this argument is applicable to the analysis of systems in general. If true objectivity is therefore impossible, Kant would seem to be right (as would Kierkegaard). The leap to faith would then not only be reasonable, but necessary. I Kant say that I disagree with you…

Augustine’s thinking, as you state above, is interesting in light of Godel’s Theorem – that we can only objectively understand a system from outside the system. Godel was thinking mathematically, but I think most philosophers agree that this argument is applicable to the analysis of systems in general. If true objectivity is therefore impossible, Kant would seem to be right (as would Kierkegaard). The leap to faith would then not only be reasonable, but necessary.

]]> By: Quixote http://aldenswan.com/2008/07/modern-epistemology/comment-page-1/#comment-822 Quixote Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:18:28 +0000 http://www.aldenswan.com/?p=413#comment-822 Epistemology is a notoriously knotty subject. The more I read on the subject, the more I come to appreciate the essential mystery of how we know what we know — or at least what we think we know. Augustine recognized that because we "know" with our minds we are unable to objectively consider the process from "outside" our mental system. For him, and many others, this is the realm of faith. Faith is, according to Augustine, the only way we can move "above our minds." I have always been intrigued by Kant's "Copernican Revolution" with its a priori mental categories. The human mind is hardwired to contextualize the raw data of experience but human reason has definite limitations. In this way Kant reemphasizes the necessity of faith within the framework of Enlightenment assumptions. But then again, what do I know? Epistemology is a notoriously knotty subject. The more I read on the subject, the more I come to appreciate the essential mystery of how we know what we know — or at least what we think we know. Augustine recognized that because we “know” with our minds we are unable to objectively consider the process from “outside” our mental system. For him, and many others, this is the realm of faith. Faith is, according to Augustine, the only way we can move “above our minds.”

I have always been intrigued by Kant’s “Copernican Revolution” with its a priori mental categories. The human mind is hardwired to contextualize the raw data of experience but human reason has definite limitations. In this way Kant reemphasizes the necessity of faith within the framework of Enlightenment assumptions.

But then again, what do I know?

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