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In Defence of Knowledge or Doubting Radical Skepticism - C C - Sep 1, 2015
http://iainews.iai.tv/articles/in-defence-of-knowledge-auid-557
EXCERPT: Is knowledge overrated? Many philosophers think so. They have been convinced by the horrors of 20th century totalitarianism that the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is not only dangerous but ruinous for humanity. This mistrust of knowledge – particularly scientific knowledge – now percolates throughout the humanities.
If there is anything resembling an unassailable doxa in the humanities, it is the following: absolute truth is a totalitarian ideal and the desire to know everything harbours a murderous impulse. We should give up our Platonic obsession with knowing the reality behind appearances and appreciate instead the multifaceted ambiguity of appearances, as well as the plurality of perspectives on the world. These have become familiar tenets of postmodern skepticism.
But skepticism is as old as philosophy and its resurgence in the second half of the 20th century needs to be put into historical perspective....
RE: In Defence of Knowledge or Doubting Radical Skepticism - Ostronomos - Sep 1, 2015
(Sep 1, 2015 04:14 PM)C C Wrote: http://iainews.iai.tv/articles/in-defence-of-knowledge-auid-557
EXCERPT: Is knowledge overrated? Many philosophers think so. They have been convinced by the horrors of 20th century totalitarianism that the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is not only dangerous but ruinous for humanity. This mistrust of knowledge – particularly scientific knowledge – now percolates throughout the humanities.
If there is anything resembling an unassailable doxa in the humanities, it is the following: absolute truth is a totalitarian ideal and the desire to know everything harbours a murderous impulse. We should give up our Platonic obsession with knowing the reality behind appearances and appreciate instead the multifaceted ambiguity of appearances, as well as the plurality of perspectives on the world. These have become familiar tenets of postmodern skepticism.
But skepticism is as old as philosophy and its resurgence in the second half of the 20th century needs to be put into historical perspective....
Depends on whether the knowledge can be made use of or not for benefitting one's life.
I sure hope these forums will blow up in popularity.
RE: In Defence of Knowledge or Doubting Radical Skepticism - Yazata - Sep 1, 2015
(Sep 1, 2015 04:14 PM)C C Wrote: EXCERPT: Is knowledge overrated? Many philosophers think so. They have been convinced by the horrors of 20th century totalitarianism that the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is not only dangerous but ruinous for humanity. This mistrust of knowledge – particularly scientific knowledge – now percolates throughout the humanities.
Especially in continental Europe. I think that's one of the biggest things distinguishing so-called 'continental' philosophy from Anglo-American (and Australian and Scandinavian) 'analytic' philosophy. It explains 'continental' philosophy's odd political assumptions and incessant (and often adolescent) strivings for 'liberation'.
To some extent, the whole history of Europe post-1945 (and most of its intellectual life) can be read as reactions to the two devastating world wars they themselves unleashed on the world in the first half of the 20th century. Certainly the European Union and many of its less functional peculiarities can be explained in that light.
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking has crossed the Atlantic and today dominates many humanities departments (especially literature for some reason), especially at the more elite and prestigious American and Canadian universities.
Quote:If there is anything resembling an unassailable doxa in the humanities, it is the following: absolute truth is a totalitarian ideal and the desire to know everything harbours a murderous impulse.
Right. We see it in the French particularly. Post-structuralism was all about that. We also see it in Heidegger's fulminations against 'instrumental reason'. Feminists wear it on their fashionable sleeves, with their 'standpoint epistemologies'.
Across the board, there's a hostility towards the ideal of disinterested objectivity.
'Disinterested' is out since intellectuals must always be politically committed to the left and to their defining race, class and gender identity (as long as it isn't white and male).
And objectivity is out since if there is any truth about the world that's true for all of us, that could justify those who know that truth exerting their will upon the always-alienated 'others'.