Divine Revelation and Human Learning
Chapter 2
Interaction: Mechanism and Meaning
(Chapter 2.pdf 98kb)
Shows that the understanding of both perception and learning requires a framework of interaction. Such a framework calls into question the adequacy of the empiricist approach to epistemology
The Complementary Roles of Philosophy and Psychology
Approach to the study of learning – relationship between 'learning' and 'knowledge' – problems inherent in empiricism – the 'cognitive orientation' – philosophy and psychology require one another.
The Contribution of the Knower
The study of perception - early work of Sir Frederic Bartlett - the 'effort after meaning' - Bruner and Postman and the playing card experiment - perception is an active process
A Theoretical Framework: Interaction
Perception as a physical process - two types of information processing, active and passive - 'hypothesis and confirmation' - a schema as an 'active organisation of past reactions' - tacit knowledge organised in schemata
Meaning and Intentionality
Physical processes display intentionality - 'hardware' and 'software' as an analogy to the 'mind-brain' problem - the failure of the 'picture theory of meaning' evidenced by Ludwig Wittgenstein in Logico-Philosophicus - human intentionality is not reducible to a physical process