Philosophy of Science 4 Interpretation and hermeneutics

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Philosophy of Science 4Interpretation and
hermeneutics

• Beyond empiricism Pragmatism and paradigms
• Overview Basics and some Big Ones
• Understanding, not explaining ?

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Post-empiricism in the natural sciencesPragmatis
m and paradigms

• Pragmatism
• Human mind active in knowledge production
• Observation involves interpretation
• Science as a web of belief
• Kuhn's paradigms
• Normal (axiomatic) versus revolutionary science
• Paradigms as self-contained knowledge entities
• Competing institutionalised hierarchies

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Positivism and interpretivismKey characteristics
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Interpretivism and hermeneuticsDifferent
approaches
Max Weber study of meaningful social action
understanding through constructed ideal types
rationality and comparison sustain
knowledge Peter Winch language define
realities understanding of socio-cultural
rules Hans-Georg Gadamer rationality of being
(rather than doing) hermeneutic circle 'merges
horizons'
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Understanding, not explaining ?

• understanding individual meaning
• assuming universal preferences
• understanding social rules ?
• explaining actor propensities ?
• languages as 'iron cages' ?
• basic socio-cultural universals ?