认识的图画--丹皮尔《科学史》中的认识论思想

丹皮尔认为科学是对自然现象的理性研究,是心灵就世界所绘的图画,但图画只是图画,科学无法反映世界的形而上学本质,因此,他反对用理性形而上学来统一科学认识的企图.他认为,科学图画的形成如同七巧板的拼凑,起初并无规则的七巧板,在认识发展的某一时刻则能拼凑成一幅合规则的图案,但是,由于认识是一无止境的过程,因此,认识的图画永无完全拼合之日.丹皮尔认为科学认识有它固有的局限,它不足以反映存在及其整体,因此还需哲学、宗教的补充,但他又反对把科学归并在它们之下,他坚持它们各自的用处,这就决定了丹皮尔对认识的统一性持一种实用主义的态度.

The Picture of Cognition--Epistemology Thoughts in A History of Science by Dampier

Dampier holds that science is a rational study on natural phenomena , it is the picture of the world drawed by the Mind . yet picture is only a picture , science can not be the mirror of the Metaphysical essence of the world , so he doesn't approve of the intention of unifying scientific knowledge into rational metaphysics . He thinks that the emergence of the scientific picture like the formation of the seven-piece puzzle. The shapeless seven-piece puzzle can be made an order picture ,when time comes. yet, as cognition is a unlimited process , so the picture of cognition will never be completed . Dempier holds that science has its inalianable limitation, it is not the mirror of Being ,so it needs the help of philosophy and religion, but he doesn't agree to unify science into the two others . He maintains their own use. All these make Dempier hold a pragmatic attitude on the unity of cognition.