Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Initial research on my earlier hypothesis: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scottish-19th/#1 While the key focus is not on knowledge management, it does contain some lively debate on how best to approach the "project of the 'science of the mind'": On the side of the first is Hume, whose skeptical conclusions arise from the Berkleyan presupposition asserted in the very first sentence of his Treatise of Human Nature All the perceptions of the human mind resolve themselves into two distinct kinds, which I shall call IMPRESSIONS and IDEAS. The difference betwixt these consists in the degrees of force and liveliness with which they strike upon the mind. (Hume 1888: 1) On the other side is Thomas Reid, for whom the errors of Hume result from the boldness of his starting point. It is genius, and not the want of it, that adulterates philosophy, and fills it with error and false theory. A creative imagination disdains the mean offices of digging for a foundation, of removing rubbish, and carrying materials: leaving these servile employments to the drudges in science, it plans a design, and raises a fabric. (Reid 1997: 15) The problem as Reid saw it was that a highly theoretical philosophy was trying to run before it could walk, because in sharp contrast to subjects that are "really sciences" -- mechanics, astronomy and optics are the examples he gives -- when we turn our attention inward and consider the phaenomena of human thoughts, opinions and perceptions, and endeavour to trace them to the general laws and first principles of our constitution, we are immediately involved in darkness and perplexity. And if common sense, or the principles of education, happen not to be stubborn, it is odds but we end in absolute skepticism. (Reid 1997: 16) 11:24:42 PM     IT MEETS PHILOSOPHY It seems that this initial comment on knowledge management seems to be gnawing at Jim's subconscious ever since I made it in class.  Could it be that we are struggling with an issue "Knowledge Management - How to Capture and Quantify It?" that could be more easily solved through the application of philosophical principles versus economic principles?  While we have been focused on ROI and defining Knowledge Management, have we been overlooking the answer by looking to the wrong science - -  and yes, I now believe that philosophy is a science.  It would be interesting to analyze how other business, political and social issues were solved through the application of philosophical principles.  Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to my college philosophy course as much as I should have and do not have the answer but I would be interested in your thoughts!  I will also try to conduct some research into this issue and let you know what I have found.  10:52:20 PM

© Copyright 2002 Carol Stark. Last update: 5/28/02; 10:52:46 PM.