TRUTH AS TROPHY: GORGIAS’ SOPHISM, CONSTRUCTIVISM, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM Spencer A....
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Transcript of TRUTH AS TROPHY: GORGIAS’ SOPHISM, CONSTRUCTIVISM, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM Spencer A....
TRUTH AS TROPHY:GORGIAS’ SOPHISM, CONSTRUCTIVISM, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM
Spencer A. McWilliams
California State University San Marcos
Constructivist Psychology Network Conference
June 20, 2008
University of Victoria
Modernism & Post Modernism
Constructivism & constructionism as post-modern critique of modernist, realist view
Early Greek Sophism of Gorgias as a pre pre-modern, but decidedly post-modernist view
Parallels with constructionist and constructivist psychology
Contribution, expand ideas and practices Relation to Constructivism, Social
Constructionism & Personal Construct Psychology
Foundationalism (AKA Modernism, Realism)
Truth, reality as “independent ground” prior to human inquiry and knowledge
Knowledge apprehends the truth that exists in the world
There are methods for this apprehension There are modes of discourse for
conveying this truth
Constructivism (AKA post-modernism)
No objective criteria for justifying truth Ideas, beliefs, etc., constructed by humans
in context of a community, language, etc. Beliefs represent conventions leading to
predictability, order, coordination, survival Alternative explanations always available Environment, biology, society constrain Recognition of our “participation”
enhances our effectiveness
Sophism
5th Century BCE Greece: logic, rhetoric Persuading others of one’s point of view Debates, competing views of truth No way to validate, came to see all as =
true Rhetorical skill of persuasion determines
which ideas become regarded as valid or true
Plato (a foundationalist) characterized Sophists as “tricksters” in his (straw man) dialogues
Protagoras
Originator of Sophism “Man (sic) is the measure of all things, of the things that are that they are, and of the things that are not as they are
not”That which appears to each individual is
the only reality The real world differs for each person Things exist due to human construal
Gorgias
Junior colleague of ProtagorasFamous three part argument Nothing exists If it did exist we could not comprehend it If we did comprehend it we could not
communicate it to othersFoundationalists view this argument as
nihilistic and solipsisticMuch new scholarship takes a post-modern
view
Viewing Gorgias as Antifoundationalist
Challenges project of grounding knowledge in criteria independent of human experience
Foundationalism: incoherentMeaning of “exist”: more like “to be so” Words do not define essential nature of
reality “Things” aren’t what we say they are Similar to Buddhism, Taoism, Social
constructionism
Criterion for Knowledge?
Can’t rely on reason or sensesHow could we know if Human explanation equals or matches “World as it is”Would need a separate, independent view
to compare these two and tell us if they are the same
Communication
Could we describe knowledge?Words and sense phenomena different Cannot “speak” a “color” Person has to already have experienceMay not form the same idea we have Cannot transfer mental images
Knowing and Communicating Truth?
Does Gorgias say that nothing exists, we cannot know truth, and we cannot communicate truth?
NO, Gorgias says: Truths are common We know what exists and does not exist We routinely communicate truthDENIES Truth as a property of “the world itself” Truth as a foundation for what we say
How do we determine truth?In the verbal practice of a community Language as a contest (agon) or game Speakers with rival ideas, beliefs,
practices Competing to “win” community approval Follow agreed-upon conventionsWords have meaning by how we use them Similar to Wittgenstein’s “language
games”
Truth as Trophy
Knowledge & truth emerge from debate Persuade audience of viability or utilityCommunity judges quality, determines victor Share community conventions, rules,
assumptions (discourse, evidence, etc.) If new views support conventions,
accredited as valid“Truth” seen as an award to most
persuasive case
Conceptualizing “Truth”
Not “discovery” of accurate representation of a pre-existing independent world, but
Endorsement of a persuasive argument“Truth” or “Certainty”: a highly convincing
case that we cannot counter persuasively
Absence of disagreement occurs when we don’t question a very convincing account
Problem: we forget we constructed “truth” and project the responsibility onto nature!
Gorgias & Post-modernism
Gorgias’ view similar to Rorty’s distinction between the claims that the
world is out there the truth is out there
“Truth” applicable to descriptions, not the world.
“Only descriptions of the world can be true or false.
The world is on its own—unaided by the describing activities of human beings” (1995p. 109).
Gorgias & Radical Constructivism
Gorgias’ perspective similar to von Glaserfeld’s Radical Constructivism
concepts and ideas generated by our own activities
responsible for the world as we experience it
can consider an infinite number of alternatives
“fit” of ideas determines utility not truth of the world itself
Gorgias & Social Constructionism
Reality from social interactions, definitionsGergen (1999): “game of truth” Cultural ritual: description, explanation,
theories establish “truth telling” in a groupRhetorical, persuasive objectives, style Distancing devices: “world out there” Authority of investigator as superior view Denial of passion, emotions, motives
Science & Social Constructionism
Social processes determine Scientific FactsSocializing participants into a paradigm
(Kuhn) Collective beliefs & conventions of
community Gives coherence to enterprise and
meaning to specific elements—concepts, methods, etc.
Premises so accepted that the paradigm is not subject to productive debate
Scientific methods of persuasionGergen, 1999
Propose candidates for “truth”Conscript support, reduce detractors Enroll supporting allies Cite existing supportive texts Approved rhetorical devices: statistics, graphs
and figures, apparatus, journals, organizationsScientific fact: “enormous interlocking arrangement
of assumptions, equipments, writings, and so on—in effect, an entire tradition or form of life.” (p. 57)
Gorgias and Personal Construct Psychology
Kelly’s Personal Scientist metaphor Personal as well as Social processes Constructive Alternativism Anticipation, seeking predictabilityFor the individual, we might view “Truth”
as a prize we award when choosing particular constructions
Choice Corollary CPC Cycle
Sophist elements in PCP
Make the world more predictable, meaningful
Within current understanding, assumptions
Avoid “threat”Seek the most persuasive constructions in
“debate” Compelling construction seen as “truth” Tendency to forget we constructed it Treat “truth” as characteristic of the
event Example: students in construct elicitation activity
Choice Corollary
“A person chooses for himself that alternative in a dichotomous construct through which he anticipates the greater possibility for extension and definition of his system” (Kelly, 1955 p. 64)
The Elaborative Choice “Whenever a person is confronted with the
opportunity for making a choice… make that choice in favor of the
alternative which seems to provide the best basis for
anticipating ensuing events” (Kelly, 1955, p. 64)
Elaboration through Choice
Like social constructions (& science), honoring ideas that provide best basis for future action
Choice among competing candidates (e.g., “To be or not to be,” Marriage, Career,
Abortion) Our notion of “truth” as the choice that
enables most effective future anticipation
Tendency to believe it is the “right” choice
“Rightness” or “wrongness” as a quality of the event
C-P-C Cycle
“a sequence of construction involving, in succession, circumspection, preemption, and control, and leading to a choice which precipitates the person into a particular situation.” (Kelly, 1955, p. 515)
Preemption as “truth” for the particular situation The most “persuasive” construction within the
context of assumptions and the existing system Provides control and basis for actionMay come to see as “right” conceptualization Tendency to see qualities as inherent in event
Implications
These perspectives help combat tendency to treat compelling, persuasive constructions as characteristics of events or objects
Regard “truth” and “reality” as human constructions
Not represent “a way that the world itself is.” Take responsibility for world we experience Understand contexts, diversity of views Use as basis for action to advance human
interests, goals, and well-being Remain open to alternatives