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Science is Not Objective

Is the fundamental theme of a book I’ve just obtained. I think he’s right. This book, mentioned earlier in the context of John Polkinghorne’s Quantum Physics and Theology is Michael Polanyi’s Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post- Critical Philosophy. In it he begins:

This is primarily an enquiry into the nature and justification of scientific knowledge. But my reconsideration of scientific know­ledge leads on to a wide range of questions outside science. I start by rejecting the ideal of scientific detachment. In the exact sciences, this false ideal is perhaps harmless, for it is in fact disregarded there by scientists. But we shall see that it exercises a destructive influence in biology, psychology and sociology, and falsifies our whole outlook far beyond the domain of science. I want to establish an alternative ideal of knowledge, quite generally.

Hence the wide scope of this book and hence also the coining of the new term I have used for my title: Personal Knowledge. The two words may seem to contradict each other: for true knowledge is deemed impersonal, universally established, objective. But the seeming contradiction is resolved by modifying the conception of knowing.

It should be noted that both Mr Polanyi and Mr Polkinghorne are highly successful, well respected scientists in their fields before they branched out to philosophy and theology (Chemist and Theoretical Physicist respectively).

Now, I’m going to shut up and read. :D

Posted in science and math.


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