Science and non-science: the search for a demarcation criterion in the 20th century
Loading...
Date
Authors
Coletto, Renato
Researcher ID
Supervisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
VCHO
Record Identifier
Abstract
In die kontemporêre wetenskapsfilosofie word ʼn stryd gevoer oor
die oënskynlik eenvoudige vraag: Hoe kan wetenskaplike denke van nie-wetenskaplike denke (kennis, navorsing en so meer) onder -
skei word? Wat is die eienskappe van wetenskap wat dit ʼn unieke
soort aktiwiteit maak? Die subtema hiervan is: Watter dissiplines of
studievelde mag as "wetenskap" beskou word en watter nie? Hier -
die vrae konstitueer die soeke na die sogenaamde "afgrensing-kri -
te rium tussen wetenskap en nie-wetenskap". In hierdie artikel word
die antwoorde van sommige van die mees prominente weten skaps -
filosowe van die 20ste eeu op hierdie vraag geëvalueer, met die
konklusie dat hulle nie ʼn soliede afgrensing-kriterium daargestel het
nie. Ten spyte hiervan, skets ek egter kortliks in die slotdeel van
hier die artikel die kriterium wat uitgewerk is in die konteks van die
Dooye weerdiaanse tradisie deur die Suid-Afrikaanse filosoof,
D.F.M. Strauss. Ek stel voor dat hierdie kriterium ʼn aanneemlike
antwoord op die afgrensing-probleem bied.
Contemporary philosophy of science has struggled considerably over an apparently simple question: how can one distinguish scientific from non-scientific thinking (knowledge, research and so on)? What are the characteristics of science which make it a unique type of activity? A sub-theme is also explored: which disciplines or fields of study may be regarded as "science"? These questions constitute the quest for the so-called "demarcation criterion between science and non-science". The responses provided by some of the most prominent philosophers of science of the 20th century are evaluated, with the conclusion that they have not supplied a solid d mar cation criterion. In the final part of the article, however, I briefly out line the criterion elaborated by the South African scholar, DFM Strauss, in the context of the Dooyeweerdian tradition. I suggest that this criterion constitutes a plausible response to the demarcation problem.
Contemporary philosophy of science has struggled considerably over an apparently simple question: how can one distinguish scientific from non-scientific thinking (knowledge, research and so on)? What are the characteristics of science which make it a unique type of activity? A sub-theme is also explored: which disciplines or fields of study may be regarded as "science"? These questions constitute the quest for the so-called "demarcation criterion between science and non-science". The responses provided by some of the most prominent philosophers of science of the 20th century are evaluated, with the conclusion that they have not supplied a solid d mar cation criterion. In the final part of the article, however, I briefly out line the criterion elaborated by the South African scholar, DFM Strauss, in the context of the Dooyeweerdian tradition. I suggest that this criterion constitutes a plausible response to the demarcation problem.
Sustainable Development Goals
Description
Keywords
Citation
Coletto, R. 2011. Science and non-science: the search for a demarcation criterion in the 20th century. Journal for Christian scholarship/Tydskrif vir Christelike wetenskap, 47(1):63-79. [http://vcho.co.za/tydskrif_vir_christelike_wetenskap/tydskrif_vir_christelike_wetenskap.php] [http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/tcwet]