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LECTURE
Constructivism
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LECTURE - [Summary]
Are all systems of belief – scientific, religious or other – based on the same epistemological values? Dr Mehdi Nasrin, professor of philosophy of science at Sharif University in Teheran, put the question to MEKIC’s audience.
Professor Nasrin first gave a summary of Kuhn’s philosophy of science. Then he criticised the notion of the incommensurable between systems of belief as in constructivism and perspectivism. He thinks that different systems of belief are commensurable in the sense that their world representation can be compared in order to chose the one that is better adapted to reality.
He reproaches to the philosophy of science and therefore to the social sciences their knowledge relativism. Indeed, they put too much emphasis on perspectivism and on the role of language as producer of social reality. Professor Nasrin continued his presentation by underscoring that the world exists independent of our beliefs and that it is sealed from our linguistic representation of it.
Professor Nasrin therefore also questioned multiculturalism, which is philosophically rooted in perspectivism and social constructivism. But the professor is aware that being convinced with a system’s superiority over another could bring about bad consequences, as was the case of colonialism and religious absolutism in all its forms. Thus, professor Nasrin nevertheless considers that relativism and perspectivism give rise to sentiments of marvel found in all systems of belief and of values whatever their indignation with human nature.
Ali Paknezhad
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