Abstract
Scientific perspectivism, or perspectival realism, offers a middle ground between strong objectivism and extreme constructivism regarding scientific knowledge. Perspectival realists thereby develop a pluralistic, yet realistic, interpretation of scientific research. They share with pragmatism an emphasis on the human stance toward scientific knowledge and the historical as well as contextual situatedness of every scientific endeavor. In their view, the nature of scientific practice itself speaks against an overly objective realistic interpretation. However, just as in the tradition of pragmatism, the various accounts of scientific perspectivism very much differ in their tendency to objective realism on the one hand and relativism on the other hand, thereby sparking discussions about the most viable middle position. This paper aims to analyze potential commonalities within these discussions. By comparing Ronald Giere’s and Michela Massimi’s perspectivist accounts with pragmatist positions leaning either toward James or toward Peirce, I will argue that the more pluralist versions of pragmatism and scientific perspectivism are indeed compatible. Stressing the realist moment, however, reveals subtle differences.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
See Brown (2009) for a discussion of Giere in relation to John Dewey.
- 2.
See Pihlström (2017) for an interesting discussion of transcendental idealism and realism in Rescher’s pragmatism.
- 3.
See Brown (2020) for more pragmatist topics and authors potentially relevant for perspectivism.
- 4.
See also Chang (2020) on the merits of a pragmatist scientific perspectivism.
References
Brown, M. J. (2009). Models and perspectives on stage: Remarks on Giere’s scientific perspectivism. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A, 40, 213–220.
Brown, M. J. (2020). Pluralism and perspectivism in the American pragmatist tradition. In A. M. Crețu & M. Massimi (Eds.), Knowledge from a human point of view (pp. 37–56). Springer.
Chang, H. (2020). Pragmatism, perspectivism, and the historicity of science. In M. Massimi & C. D. McCoy (Eds.), Understanding perspectivism: Scientific challenges and methodological prospects (pp. 10–27). Routledge.
Crețu, A. M., & Massimi, M. (Eds.). (2020). Knowledge from a human point of view. Springer.
Giere, R. N. (2006). Scientific perspectivism. University of Chicago Press.
Haack, S. (1976). The pragmatist theory of truth. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 27, 231–249.
Hookway, C. (2004). Truth, reality, and convergence. In C. Misak (Ed.), The Cambridge companion to Peirce (pp. 127–149). Cambridge University Press.
James, W. (1975). Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking. Harvard University Press.
Massimi, M., & McCoy, C. D. (Eds.). (2020). Understanding perspectivism: Scientific challenges and methodological prospects. Routledge.
Massimi, M. (2016a). Four kinds of perspectival truth. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 96, 342–359.
Massimi, M. (2016b). Three tales of scientific success. Philosophy of Science, 83, 757–767.
Massimi, M. (2017). Perspectivism. In J. Saatsi (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of scientific realism (pp. 164–175). Routledge.
Misak, C. (2013). The American pragmatists. Oxford University Press.
Peirce, C. S. (1992). The essential Peirce: Selected philosophical writings, Volume 1: 1867-1893, In N. Houser & C. Kloesel (Eds.). Indiana University Press.
Pihlström, S. (2017). Pragmatic realism, idealism and pluralism: A rescherian balance? In S. Pihlström (Ed.), Pragmatism and objectivity: Essays sparked by the works of Nicholas Rescher (pp. 7–30). Routledge.
Putnam, H. (1981). Reason, Truth and History. Cambridge University Press.
Putnam, H. (1999). Pragmatic realism. In J. Kim & E. Sosa (Eds.), Metaphysics: An anthology (pp. 591–606). Blackwell.
Rescher, N. (2000). Realistic pragmatism. State University of New York Press.
Rorty, R. (1980). Pragmatism, relativism, and irrationalism. Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association, 53, 717–738.
Rorty, R. (1991). Objectivity, relativism, and truth: Philosophical papers (Vol. 1). Cambridge University Press.
Schwartz, R. (2012). Rethinking pragmatism: From William James to contemporary philosophy. Wiley-Blackwell.
Acknowledgement
S.A.W. is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)—337619223/RTG2386.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wellan, S.A. (2022). Pragmatism and Scientific Perspectivism. In: Miras Boronat, N.S., Bella, M. (eds) Women in Pragmatism: Past, Present and Future. Women in the History of Philosophy and Sciences, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00921-1_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00921-1_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-00920-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-00921-1
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyPhilosophy and Religion (R0)