Does this mean that in radical constructivism there is no 'out there' that can
be known separable from what is 'NOT OF things out there?' And, if yes or no,
could you explain and/or provide a reference to a radical constructivist source
from which you speak? I find that I have been using the term much too loosely
and I appreciate your clarifications.
M. Freeman
Dewey Dykstra, Jr. wrote:
> >"acquisition" is not incompatible with "construction". one can have an
> >"acquisition" through the "construction". The idea of "acquisiton" can
> >be understood as something new you didn't had. it doesn't matter what
> >the way was to have now this "acquisition", which can be by
> >"construction" or another way. maria judith lins
> >
>
> I think I understand what you are saying, Maria, but there's a profound
> difference between the notion of a construction of something that is "out
> there" and the notion of a construction which is NOT OF things "out there."
> Radical constructivism suggests that our constructions cannot ever be of
> something that is "out there." So, in this view there is no "acquiring" of
> something that is "out there." Hence no "acquisition" --->a version of
> constructivism which CANNOT logically be on the "acquisition" side of the
> pair.
>
> The kinds of constructivism which could be on the "acquisition" side are
> those whose treatment of thought and knowledge hold only a superficial
> difference with realism, hence the adjective "trivial" to describe these
> forms of constructivism. This is not to minimize them so much as to place
> them with respect to their difference from realism.
>
> Dewey
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)385-3105
> Professor of Physics Dept: (208)385-3775
> Department of Physics/MCF421/418 Fax: (208)385-4330
> Boise State University dykstrad who-is-at bsumail.idbsu.edu
> 1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
> Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper
>
> "Physical concepts are the free creations of the human mind and
> are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external
> world."--A. Einstein in The Evolution of Physics with L. Infeld,
> 1938.
> "Every [person's] world picture is and always remains a construct
> of [their] mind and cannot be proved to have any other existence."
> --E. Schrodinger in Mind and Matter, 1958.
> "Don't mistake your watermelon for the universe." --K. Amdahl in
> There Are No Electrons, 1991.
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++