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2 years ago in Epistemology , Philosophy By Pravin Patel

In epistemology, what defines "radical constructivism," and how does it differ from more moderate social constructivism or realism?

I'm grappling with constructivist theories in my philosophy of education course. "Social constructivism" seems to say knowledge is built through social interaction. But "radical constructivism" (associated with von Glasersfeld) seems to go further. Does it claim that knowledge is only a construction of the knower, with no necessary connection to an external reality? How does this avoid solipsism? And how does it differ from straightforward idealism or antirealism? I need a clear definition and its main philosophical commitments.

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By Patric Answered 1 year ago

Radical constructivism, as developed by Ernst von Glasersfeld, is defined by two core principles: 1) Knowledge is not passively received but actively built by the cognizing subject. 2) The function of cognition is adaptive and serves the organization of the experiential world, not the discovery of an objective reality. It differs from social constructivism by focusing on the individual's cognitive construction; social interaction is just another source of experiential material to be assimilated. It's radical because it abandons the "metaphysical" claim of representing a mind-independent world. Knowledge is "viable" if it fits within our experiential constraints, not if it matches reality. This avoids solipsism by not denying an external world exists, but by declaring its nature unknowable. The focus shifts from truth to functional fit. It's a form of non-representational idealism applied to epistemology.

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