♥ PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMANITIES – AUTHORS ♥
♥ POPPER: [CRITICAL RATIONALISM] The problem of
demarcation seeks to recognize the distinction between science and
pseudoscience and can only be solved with FALSIFIABILITY.
According to Popper, “science disconfirms while pseudoscience
confirms.” So, the only genuine test of a theory, is one that’s
looking to falsify it! IRREFUTABLE THEORIES ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC.
Modern scientific thinking: testable – refutable – falsifiable.
Moreover, he affirmed that knowledge can be corrected in the light
of observation.
♥ KUHN: according to him, the idea that science is critical
represents most of the time an illusion. He thought that only in
specific and exceptional moments in history, science becomes
critical. Kuhn’s theory: every science starts in a pre-paradigmatic
phase normal science crisis return to normal science OR go
on towards a scientific revolution normal science. The latter is
the phase we are in most of the time. A PARADIGM consists of all
the scientific knowledge (theories, concepts) that is taken for
granted. Scientists are not even willing to doubt about the paradigm
and be critical! Normal science= there is a well-functioning
paradigm that scientists are confident about. According to Kuhn,
scientists are not critical because they don’t criticise their paradigm
this is a good thing! Scientific progress could not be achieved if
scientists were constantly questioning the facts. Kuhn’s notion of
normal science is the opposite of Popper’s falsification.
, ♥ HUMBOLDT: in a context in which the absolute truth was
RELIGION, in 1821, von Humboldt wrote about the task of the
historian. The historian should present in a complete, simple, active
and creative way. Creative because the historian needs to add an
invisible part to every fact he must work the collected fragments
into a whole, through his imagination. The latter must be
subordinated to reality and experience. He must develop a
connective ability. SEEK THE TRUTH.
♥ MCCLOSKEY: Deirdre: feminist economist - more human aspects/
Focus more on values: hope, justice, trust Critical of conventional
way of thinking: does not take into consideration psychology,
sociology or anthropology. ECONOMICS IS A SCIENCE WHICH ALSO
USES LITERARY MODELS AND DEVICES. Science is regarded as a
conversation, for this reason she wrote “the rhetoric of economics.”
She distinguished as well between the synchronic and diachronic of
economics, while affirming that economics is not merely either of
those but both. Deidre also stressed the importance of persuasion
to the discourse, which is achieved through impression and,
obviously, language.
♥ BENJAMIN: Benjamin was one of the main exponents of critical
theory and belonged to the Frankfurt school. He indicated the
uniqueness of works of art with the concept of aura. According to
him, the latter was lost, along with authenticity, anytime
mechanical reproduction of art occurred. He highlighted, moreover,
how this process reversed the function of art, rendering it political,
rather than traditional and based on rituals. Benjamin developed his
♥ POPPER: [CRITICAL RATIONALISM] The problem of
demarcation seeks to recognize the distinction between science and
pseudoscience and can only be solved with FALSIFIABILITY.
According to Popper, “science disconfirms while pseudoscience
confirms.” So, the only genuine test of a theory, is one that’s
looking to falsify it! IRREFUTABLE THEORIES ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC.
Modern scientific thinking: testable – refutable – falsifiable.
Moreover, he affirmed that knowledge can be corrected in the light
of observation.
♥ KUHN: according to him, the idea that science is critical
represents most of the time an illusion. He thought that only in
specific and exceptional moments in history, science becomes
critical. Kuhn’s theory: every science starts in a pre-paradigmatic
phase normal science crisis return to normal science OR go
on towards a scientific revolution normal science. The latter is
the phase we are in most of the time. A PARADIGM consists of all
the scientific knowledge (theories, concepts) that is taken for
granted. Scientists are not even willing to doubt about the paradigm
and be critical! Normal science= there is a well-functioning
paradigm that scientists are confident about. According to Kuhn,
scientists are not critical because they don’t criticise their paradigm
this is a good thing! Scientific progress could not be achieved if
scientists were constantly questioning the facts. Kuhn’s notion of
normal science is the opposite of Popper’s falsification.
, ♥ HUMBOLDT: in a context in which the absolute truth was
RELIGION, in 1821, von Humboldt wrote about the task of the
historian. The historian should present in a complete, simple, active
and creative way. Creative because the historian needs to add an
invisible part to every fact he must work the collected fragments
into a whole, through his imagination. The latter must be
subordinated to reality and experience. He must develop a
connective ability. SEEK THE TRUTH.
♥ MCCLOSKEY: Deirdre: feminist economist - more human aspects/
Focus more on values: hope, justice, trust Critical of conventional
way of thinking: does not take into consideration psychology,
sociology or anthropology. ECONOMICS IS A SCIENCE WHICH ALSO
USES LITERARY MODELS AND DEVICES. Science is regarded as a
conversation, for this reason she wrote “the rhetoric of economics.”
She distinguished as well between the synchronic and diachronic of
economics, while affirming that economics is not merely either of
those but both. Deidre also stressed the importance of persuasion
to the discourse, which is achieved through impression and,
obviously, language.
♥ BENJAMIN: Benjamin was one of the main exponents of critical
theory and belonged to the Frankfurt school. He indicated the
uniqueness of works of art with the concept of aura. According to
him, the latter was lost, along with authenticity, anytime
mechanical reproduction of art occurred. He highlighted, moreover,
how this process reversed the function of art, rendering it political,
rather than traditional and based on rituals. Benjamin developed his
