Philosophical Perspectives on Truth and Scientific Progress

Philosophical Perspectives on Knowledge and Truth

Understanding how we acquire and validate knowledge is central to philosophy. Various schools of thought offer distinct views on the nature of truth and certainty.

Dogmatism: Certainty in Knowledge

Dogmatism is a philosophical position asserting that we can acquire safe and universal knowledge, and that absolute certainty is attainable. It extends its defense to more positive forms of knowledge. A key figure associated with this attitude is René Descartes.

Skepticism: Questioning the Possibility of Knowledge

Skepticism stands as the opposite of dogmatism. Moderated skepticism questions whether it is possible to have sure and firm knowledge, while radical skepticism denies this possibility entirely, even the existence of such knowledge itself. A prominent representative is Pyrrho.

Criticism: The Balance Between Dogmatism and Skepticism

Criticism is a term that intermixes elements of both dogmatism and skepticism. Immanuel Kant is its primary representative. Kant argued that while knowledge can be acquired, it is neither definitive nor unquestionable. Knowledge can contain errors and should be constantly reviewed and corrected.

Relativism: The Contextual Nature of Truth

Relativism denies the existence of absolute truth. It posits that knowledge is not objective or universal; rather, particular and valid opinions exist only within a specific social, cultural, and historical context. A key group associated with relativism is the Sophists.

Perspectivism: Truth Through Multiple Viewpoints

Perspectivism shares common ground with relativism, but it does not deny the possibility of absolute truth. Instead, Perspectivism posits that truth is accessed through particular viewpoints. This vision is not false, as each perspective captures an important aspect of reality. A notable defender of perspectivism is Ortega y Gasset.

Key Thinkers in the Philosophy of Science

Karl Popper: Falsifiability and Scientific Progress

For Karl Popper, the continuing progress of science means that no theory can be considered definitively true, as it may be falsified in the future. Science progresses because every new theory discovered brings us closer to the truth.

When one theory replaces another, the new theory is considered better than the previous one, having fewer problems and offering more comprehensive explanations, thus bringing it closer to being true. Falsifying a theory is not a negative aspect, because we can learn from mistakes.

Thomas Kuhn: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Thomas Kuhn, a philosopher of the history of science, offered a critical vision of the continuity and progressive nature often attributed to falsificationism. For him, scientific change should not be interpreted as continuous progress but rather as revolutionary. He argued that there is no logical explanation to assert that one theory is definitively better or more true than another or the previous one. Instead, there are only different and incompatible ways of seeking the truth.