Abstract

HERNANDEZ M, Luis Humberto. The Two Faces of Relativism: A Critique of Foundationalism and the Relativist Image of Science. Prax. filos. [online]. 2021, n.52, pp.119-144.  Epub Apr 13, 2021. ISSN 0120-4688.  https://doi.org/10.25100/pfilosofica.v0i52.10681.

This work intends to analyze the double function of relativism: on the one hand, it constitutes a critique to the foundationalist vision that characterized a great portion of contemporary philosophy of science, specifically logical positivism and some of its heirs; on the other hand, it offers an interpretation of the synchronic and diachronic aspects of science that presents itself as an alternative to the main characterizations of contemporary science, and of its evolution in particular, made in the realm of philosophy. Although there are multiple expressions of this relativist conception of science, due to the scope of this work we will only concern ourselves with some aspects associated with the relativist components of the image of science offered by Thomas S. Kuhn.

Keywords : Relativism; Foundationalism; Progress; Objectivity; Incommensurability.

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