Dewey & Popper

8/10/2019 Dewey & Popper

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Aditya NainRoll No: 134088001

PhD Student (HSS)

110/16/2014Philosophy of Science



In opposition to traditional philosophy,Dewey and Popper have the followingsimilarities

◦ All beliefs are fallible◦ Epistemic certainty cannot be attained◦ Knowledge involves selection and interpretation◦ Common sense inquiry and scientific reasoning are

continuous with each other◦ Scientific reasoning is a problem solving activity




Unlike traditional philosophy, reason is notseen as a separate non-natural entity.The search for knowledge, i.e. inquiry beginswhen faced with a gap or inconsistency withinour knowledge systemOne can distinguish between the biological,psychological and intellectual aspects of

human problems




Biological◦ Curiosity – This can be seen as early as in the „why‟

questions of a two year old.Psychological◦ Doubt – This, although painful, is necessary for human

inquiry. Without this, inquiry is empty and meaningless.“Doubt is an uneasy state from which we aim to freeourselves…the mere putting of a propisition into theinterrogative form does not stimulate the mind…”

Intellectual◦ All situations don‟t provoke doubt. The mind needs to

be perplexed and challenged




Knowledge comes frominquiry and Inquiry comes

from problems




The following four are preconditions forinquiry

◦ X must be in an open or indeterminate situation

◦ The situation must induce in X a feeling of doubt

◦ X must judge the situation to be problematic by atleast vaguely articulating what is doubtful about it

◦ X must have the intention of resolving theindeterminancy




Lalit Saraswat(134088002)PhD Student

HSS, IIT-B




• end-points of inquiry• Dewey,• knowledge consists of psychologically

compelling beliefs inductively warranted ifthe beliefs work satisfactorily



o on the other hand, does not "believe in"

beliefs, nor in inductive support.

o "speaks of problems in an objective, or non-psychological sense"



• emphasizes the logical aspects: problemsarise out of objective flaws in our knowledge,inconsistency.

•

The problem is (tentatively) solved when weeliminate the inconsistency by proposing anew theory which stands up to objectivelysevere testing.



• what each means by problem?• evaluation of problems?• growth of knowledge?• Both are thorough-going fallibilists - none of

our beliefs are immune to criticism andrevision.



Knowledge grows out of problems , be ita) communal scientific knowledge (new for all

of us), or

b) the individual child's knowledge (new for thechild).

c) Or to say even bacteria



• „the problem arises when some kind ofdisturbance takes place‟( Popper - T.L.&Evo.ofSci.Theo.) or violated expectation.

•

What If an organism undergo „no disturbance‟then „No Knowledge‟? Or All expectations getfulfilled then...?

• Problem Across 5 Kingdoms?or Surprise in

lower Kingdoms!• Are Disturbances same?• The Receptivity or Problem Solving/Perceiving

is same?• Problem is singular? Chess?



• Problem(should be..)

Precise Vague

distinct/single sol. complex/multiple sol.1st order(Fight/Flight) 2 nd order(Intrctv/Mnpltv)

S.Un.Simple Orgnsms S.C.Complex Orgnsms



Thanks

Questions!

Documents

Dewey & Popper