Epistemology as Engineering?

Theoria 72 (1):60-79 (2006)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

According to a common objection to epistemological naturalism, no empirical, scientific theory of knowledge can be normative in the way epistemological theories need to be. In response, such naturalists as W.V. Quine have claimed naturalized epistemology can be normative by emulating engineering disciplines and addressing the relations of causal efficacy between our cognitive means and ends. This paper evaluates that "engineering reply" and finds it a mixed success. Based on consideration of what it might mean to call a theory "normative," seven versions of the normativity objection to epistemological naturalism are formulated. The engineering reply alone is sufficient to answer only the four least sophisticated versions. To answer the others, naturalists must draw on more resources than their engineering reply alone provides.

Similar books and articles

Naturalistic Epistemologies and Normativity.Elisabeth Pacherie - 2002 - Croatian Journal of Philosophy 2 (3):299-317.
Normativity in Quine's naturalism: The technology of truth-seeking? [REVIEW]Wybo Houkes - 2002 - Journal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 33 (2):251-267.
The two faces of Quine's naturalism.Susan Haack - 1993 - Synthese 94 (3):335 - 356.
Naturalistic epistemology for eliminative materialists.Alex Rosenberg - 1999 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 59 (2):335-358.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-08-28

Downloads
941 (#13,224)

6 months
151 (#17,450)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Chase Wrenn
University of Alabama