Critical realism
The Critical realism is a philosophical, in particular cosmological and epistemological position, which assumes that a real world exists, which corresponds to the sensory perception, but (in contrast to naive realism ) by the way of human perception not immediately recognizable and immediately is to what extent it agrees with the costs arising from processing human phenomena.
A classic example of the limitation of human perception is the frequency range of human hearing, in which are included neither the sounds of a dog whistle nor the deep tones that are partially generated by elephants. The critical realist assumes that human knowledge of reality approximates more and more over time, but usually this is not fully achieved.
As ( German -speaking ) representatives of Critical Realism are: Nicolai Hartmann, Oswald Külpe, Hans Driesch, Erich cup Alois Riehl, Johann Friedrich Herbart, Bernhard Bavink and Aloys Wenzl.
Hans Albert called the Critical Realism as an essential part of the epistemological position of critical rationalism.
George Santayana is considered influential American representatives of critical realism. In addition to Roy Wood Sellars and Arthur Lovejoy and - called Bertrand Russell and CD Broad - in a broader sense. The Canadian Jesuit Bernard Lonergan developed a comprehensive critical realistic philosophy.
Suppose also that the epistemology of Aristotle can be interpreted in terms of Critical Realism.
In the UK, called critical realism a philosophical approach to the social and natural world - especially in the sense of Roy Bhaskar. Its philosophy was received by Alister E. McGrath in conversation between theology and science, which is otherwise strongly oriented to the Ian G. Barbour's Critical Realism.
Overview
The Critical realism, as it is formulated by critical rationalists such as Hans Albert and Alan Musgrave, comprises two main theses:
The Critical Realism sides with the common sense, but does not rely completely on him. He distinguished himself as a philosophical concept reflected by the naive realism of practical everyday people through the review based on scientific criticism. For the reality is not always so designed as seems to be the everyday thinking.
The progress of knowledge of the sciences is a virtually established fact; Criticism must be leveled at the manner of utilization of scientific progress.
In conjunction with a consistent criticism turns to the Critical Realism against any kind of alleged immunity to criticism last assumptions. This also includes the so-called "pure" theory of knowledge as it has been argued about by Kant in his transcendental attempted justification. The process of human cognition should rather be considered realistic in philosophy and epistemology and to be judged by the results of empirical research. Since no strategy of justification and final justification, can not occur in logical circle of mutual critique of epistemology and social psychological theories of perception and cognition.
The methodology of the sciences can be seen as socially technological application of these empirical theories or as a " rational heuristics ".