Читать реферат по английскому: "Longeran Essay Research Paper Father Lonergan thank" Страница 1

(Назад) (Cкачать работу)

Longeran Essay, Research Paper

Father Lonergan, thank you for taking the time to talk with me. I truly appreciate it. I just have a few questions.Q1a: You name your philosophy “Critical Realism”. What is “Critical Realism”? BL: Critical Realism is my philosophy on what is real. This philosophy entails taking an experience and going beyond just the experience. It entails understanding the experience through intelligent inquiry, asking questions until one has an understanding of the experience. Once one has an understanding, one makes a reasonable judgment based upon the experience and the understanding they pertained through the inquiry.Q1b: I have noticed that different philosophers understand “reality” or the “real” in different ways. For example, Plato says that Ideas or Forms are what is “real”. What do you, as a Critical Realist, mean by “the real” or “reality”?BL: As a Critical Realist I define “real” as the totality of all correct judgments. It is taking what one has learned from their experiences and making correct judgments.Q2: You describe two activities in the knowledge process; namely, “understanding” and “judgment”. Would you clarify how these two cognition activities function by applying them to this problem: What accounts for the recent growth in population and area of the city of Omaha?BL: In order to answer that question one must ask questions that need to be answered in order to understand the topic. Some examples of questions might be:Have any large corporations recently started creating more jobs?Has a contract been arranged that would allow for more housing to be built around Omaha?Is there a lower property tax or such that would be an incentive for people to move here?Is there a low unemployment rate?Is Omaha more open to expansion, thus making it easier for companies to expand?Does Omaha have the land to expand?Is there a wide array of jobs, a large job market?Is housing cheaper here than other places?Now in order to make sure one has a correct understanding of the situation; one should look for evidence to prove their understanding is correct. There are thousands of sources but one should make sure that the sources would give them correct information so that they will make a correct judgment. Some places one might look for this information might be a magazine article on Omaha, a website on housing in the Omaha area or on job employment in the Omaha area. A land contractor who would know about the land around Omaha and it’s expansion capabilities. A book or magazine comparing tax ratings, job markets, and the cost of housing of cities across the U.S. Once one has answered their questions and has a correct understanding of the question, then they may make a judgment. My judgment is that Omaha has a low unemployment rate which encourages people to move here because they have a far greater chance of finding a job here than other places. Q3: You claim that your theory of cognition can not be denied or refuted. I do not accept your theory of cognition. I claim that knowing is based on intuition of innate truths and what can be deduced from these self-evident truths. So I challenge your claim that your theory can not be denied or refuted. How would you prove your claim?BL: I accept your challenge. By simply denying that theory of cognition is wrong you are making a judgment based upon your understanding of experiences. You have examined the different explanations and based your judgment of what is the correct explanation by having an understanding of all the explanations. Through the process of picking the explanation that knowing is based on intuition of innate truths and what can be deduced from these self-evident truths you have proven the theory of cognition.Q4a: I’d appreciate a clarification regarding some terms… what is the difference between a theory that is descriptive and one that is explanatory? BL: A theory that is descriptive is one that explains things as they relate to us, or on a more personal level, to me. It is not about understanding things; it is about experiencing. A theory that is explanation is one that explains things in terms of how they relate to each other. This theory is not about how we experience something through our senses but about how we understand something; an example would be science.Q4b: And what is the difference between common sense apprehension and theoretical knowledge?BL: Common sense apprehension is a kind of insight that deals with interests and concerns in one’s daily life; it is not concerned with scientific knowledge. Theoretical knowledge is seeking universally valid knowledge or laws that will apply to all cases of similar situations, such as the law of gravity. This theory deals with the nature of things, how things work. Q5: My next questions refer to your theory of moral choice, of becoming a person who chooses well with a certain consistency. In your article, “Ethics” you state: ” To live freely, therefore, is not to live in an arbitrary way, but to live in the critically judged, critically evaluated way that you ought to live. The paradox of freedom is that to live freely is to live in an obligatory way ” According to your theory of Transcendental Method, how do you reconcile freedom with obligation How am I free when I am obligated? BL: In order for the person to be fully free they must have the ability to transcend, go beyond where they are now. A person who has obligations, who is held accountable for their actions, is a person who is going to be attentive enough to experience something, take the experience and question it. From the questioning they will come to an understanding. With that understanding the person will form a judgment. Since the person is responsible for that judgment and knows that others will be critical they will be sure that they have come to the correct judgment. By being intelligent about their judgment they will transcend

Похожие работы