This dissertation argues that Collingwood, although a relativist, is neither sceptical nor irrational in his theory of knowledge, and that his metaphysical commitment is to a reality that is intelligible and interconnected in all of its parts. I present the problem of relations in order to show that Collingwood rejects identification with traditional positions. The concept 'relation' has been divided into two classes: internal and external. Some philosophers have denied that an internal relation can have any degree of externality, and others that an external relation can have any degree of internality. I show that for Collingwood the term 'relation' resists such classification. Relations, as all other philosophical concepts denote overlapping classes. This overlap is not random and haphazard, but exhibits a definite structure, which Collingwood describes as a scale of forms. This has important epistemological consequences I illustrate Collingwood's theory of relation by means of an analysis of historical knowledge, and examine his case against realism. I review Collingwood's theory of Question-and-answer and his theory of absolute presupposition and show that they are not only a reaction to the realists' doctrine of external relations but that they represent a position also removed from traditional idealism I present Toulmin's criticism of the theory of absolute presuppositions and show that Collingwood's theory does not lead to an irrational relativism. Collingwood's theory of the overlap of classes provides him with the possibility of rationally comparing and evaluating different constellations of absolute presuppositions. This interpretation is supported with reference to his own examples of metaphysical analysis. According to Collingwood, knowledge is not simply a matter of assertion, but also involves absolute presuppositions as essential elements of the rational process. Knowing is creative as well as cognitive, and knowledge is acquired through a process of faith seeking understanding / acase@tulane.edu
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_25958 |
| Date | January 1980 |
| Contributors | Pelaez, Martha Bringuier (Author) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Access requires a license to the Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) database., Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law |
Page generated in 0.0018 seconds