Logical Problems of Answer Variation in Philosophy

Abstract

Philosophy, as a searchlight for reality, has been conceived in various ways by philosophers in different epochs. These various conceptions are based on how the reality appears to the individual thinkers within the logical setting of a given culture. As a result of this, it becomes a case of “the more we know, the more we become aware of the extent of our ignorance” (Joad 8). This keeps philosophy ever on the journey without reaching its destination. The end result is the problem of answer variation that we see affecting philosophy. What then causes this problem and how do we solve it? Science felt that looking beyond the empirical object will never solve this problem in order to supply human necessities. Hence the scientists opt for what ‘is'. That is, the given, rather than what ‘ought to be' which is the subject matter of philosophy. With this, science aims at getting itself out from metaphysical grips which it believes is the major reason for answer variation in philosophy. In this paper, we have discovered that the logical problem of answer variation in philosophy is not actually a problem but a solution to philosophical problems. The recent discovery of many-valued logic, in addition to the concepts of relativism and contextualism give credence to this problem since philosophy ( as I said it somewhere ) is a subjective world-view packaged and anchored within the mind-frame in order to ask and answer questions that can solve the immediate problem at hand within a given socio-economic and political environment. Based on this, it is a necessity to consider the nature of both science and philosophy before we go into the problem that this paper is out for.

SOPHIA: An African Journal of Philosophy Vol. 9 (1) 2006: pp. 1-5