Objectivity

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter explores Karl Popper’s ‘World One’, dealing with the objects of the external world. It notes the difference between unbiased and disengaged human engagements with nature. Whereas most natural sciences stress the importance of objectivity, natural philosophy sees this as only one aspect of the human engagement with the natural world, which must be extended to include experiences of awe and wonder, and the perception of beauty. This is followed by a critical account of forms of ‘scientism’, including Edward O. Wilson’s influential work Consilience, which marginalize the humanities or any consideration of the affective or aesthetic dimensions of nature. The problems of this approach are brought out by considering the debates between scientism and neo-Confucianism in twentieth-century China, which highlighted the need for a richer account of the natural world than that offered by the natural sciences on their own.