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"Ways of knowing"
If you want to know why the Woke ignore statistics, science, facts, and reason, And instead use feelings, emotions, intuition, and "lived experience" then you need to know what the woke mean by "ways of knowing.'
So let's talk about it
A THREAD🧵
"Ways of knowing"
If you want to know why the Woke ignore statistics, science, facts, and reason, And instead use feelings, emotions, intuition, and "lived experience" then you need to know what the woke mean by "ways of knowing.'
So let's talk about it
A THREAD🧵
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Ways of knowing refers to one of the ways the woke think about "epistemology."
Epistemology is the study of human knowledge. That is, the person doing epistemology wants to know what "knowledge" is, how we get knowledge, and what knowledge can be used for.
Ways of knowing refers to one of the ways the woke think about "epistemology."
Epistemology is the study of human knowledge. That is, the person doing epistemology wants to know what "knowledge" is, how we get knowledge, and what knowledge can be used for.
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In the liberal tradition we think knowledge is a belief that is:
1. Truth. (The belief corresponds to reality)
2. Justified. (The person is "justified" or has good reasons to hold the belief.
In the liberal tradition our epistemology revolves around science and reason...
In the liberal tradition we think knowledge is a belief that is:
1. Truth. (The belief corresponds to reality)
2. Justified. (The person is "justified" or has good reasons to hold the belief.
In the liberal tradition our epistemology revolves around science and reason...
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That is, for the enlightenment liberal, if you want to know about the world, you would use the scientific method, and the faculty of reason to determine whether or not a belief is true.
Further, in the liberal tradition. any belief is open to challenge and "falsification."
That is, for the enlightenment liberal, if you want to know about the world, you would use the scientific method, and the faculty of reason to determine whether or not a belief is true.
Further, in the liberal tradition. any belief is open to challenge and "falsification."
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This means any belief can be challenged by other people and no belief is off limits.
Thus I may argue a belief is false no matter how sacred that belief is to you, and I may try to "falsify" it by showing that the belief is false.
This means any belief can be challenged by other people and no belief is off limits.
Thus I may argue a belief is false no matter how sacred that belief is to you, and I may try to "falsify" it by showing that the belief is false.
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Along with those principles the enlightenment liberal holds to the law of non-contradiction: That contradictory beliefs cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time (if two beliefs contradict they cannot both be true in the same sense, one of them must be wrong)
Along with those principles the enlightenment liberal holds to the law of non-contradiction: That contradictory beliefs cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time (if two beliefs contradict they cannot both be true in the same sense, one of them must be wrong)
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These beliefs added together provide us a picture of something like "objectivity," which is the idea that ideas, beliefs, and propositions about the world can be "objectively true or false. That is, they are true or false regardless of what anyone says. And that means...
These beliefs added together provide us a picture of something like "objectivity," which is the idea that ideas, beliefs, and propositions about the world can be "objectively true or false. That is, they are true or false regardless of what anyone says. And that means...
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a belief like "The earth goes around the sun" is true regardless of what anyone says or thinks. The belief "the earth goes around the sun" isn't RELATIVE to anyone's opinions, and was true even back in the 12th century when people thought the sun went around the earth...
a belief like "The earth goes around the sun" is true regardless of what anyone says or thinks. The belief "the earth goes around the sun" isn't RELATIVE to anyone's opinions, and was true even back in the 12th century when people thought the sun went around the earth...
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Because the truth does not depend on what people think. Enlightenment liberals think people in the 12th century who thought the sun went around the earth were OBJECTIVELY WRONG because the TRUTH is the earth goes around the sun, and that was true in the 12th century too.
Because the truth does not depend on what people think. Enlightenment liberals think people in the 12th century who thought the sun went around the earth were OBJECTIVELY WRONG because the TRUTH is the earth goes around the sun, and that was true in the 12th century too.
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The result is the enlightenment liberal epistemology uses science and reason to determine objective truths about the world. the enlightenment liberal believes success of the scientific method in allowing us to make predictions about the world is a demonstration of it's...
The result is the enlightenment liberal epistemology uses science and reason to determine objective truths about the world. the enlightenment liberal believes success of the scientific method in allowing us to make predictions about the world is a demonstration of it's...
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validity and claims to be an objectively correct method of determining which beliefs about the world are true, and which are false.
So, if you want proof that the scientific method is true look no further then the correct predictions it allows us to make about the world.
validity and claims to be an objectively correct method of determining which beliefs about the world are true, and which are false.
So, if you want proof that the scientific method is true look no further then the correct predictions it allows us to make about the world.
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This is NOT how the woke see knowledge and epistemology.
The woke have a very different view of what "knowing" is, and as such reject the idea that science ad reason are the best way to know about the world. Let's look at the woke understanding of "knowledge."
This is NOT how the woke see knowledge and epistemology.
The woke have a very different view of what "knowing" is, and as such reject the idea that science ad reason are the best way to know about the world. Let's look at the woke understanding of "knowledge."
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The woke understanding of knowledge is different because the woke understanding of truth is different.
In the minds of the woke a statement that is "true" is not considered to be "true" because it accurately describes the world, That is not how they think about truth...
The woke understanding of knowledge is different because the woke understanding of truth is different.
In the minds of the woke a statement that is "true" is not considered to be "true" because it accurately describes the world, That is not how they think about truth...
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The woke see that people can't agree about how the world really is. Thus, the woke think "truth" refers to the beliefs and ideas that have been elevated by a society or culture to a place of prominence by acclamation or agreement. They see truth as a SOCIAL phenomenon...
The woke see that people can't agree about how the world really is. Thus, the woke think "truth" refers to the beliefs and ideas that have been elevated by a society or culture to a place of prominence by acclamation or agreement. They see truth as a SOCIAL phenomenon...
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So they would say that if critical mass of people in society agree that a certain proposition is the right way to think about the world, then that belief gets bestowed upon it the social status of a "truth." Once that occurs that belief becomes "true" FOR THAT SOCIETY.
So they would say that if critical mass of people in society agree that a certain proposition is the right way to think about the world, then that belief gets bestowed upon it the social status of a "truth." Once that occurs that belief becomes "true" FOR THAT SOCIETY.
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So different societies have different views about what is true, and thus each society has different "truths."
This means the woke always consider the fact that each society has a different way of determining what is true and therefore what counts as "knowledge."
So different societies have different views about what is true, and thus each society has different "truths."
This means the woke always consider the fact that each society has a different way of determining what is true and therefore what counts as "knowledge."
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Since the woke see "truth" as a matter of social agreement, they see the production of knowledge as being a social, and therefore political, process that is ultimately about power. After all, whoever decides what society thinks is true determines the direction of society.
Since the woke see "truth" as a matter of social agreement, they see the production of knowledge as being a social, and therefore political, process that is ultimately about power. After all, whoever decides what society thinks is true determines the direction of society.
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For that reason the woke always see claims to knowledge as claims to power. That is, if you can persuade society to accept your claims as true, then you can use your claims to put your policies, rules, laws, and procedure into place; and this allows you to wield power.
For that reason the woke always see claims to knowledge as claims to power. That is, if you can persuade society to accept your claims as true, then you can use your claims to put your policies, rules, laws, and procedure into place; and this allows you to wield power.
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For this reason the woke think that the enlightenment liberal science and reason are merely the method white european males agree with each other use to decide which beliefs are true (and thus who gets to wield power). The woke would say that the white european way of...
For this reason the woke think that the enlightenment liberal science and reason are merely the method white european males agree with each other use to decide which beliefs are true (and thus who gets to wield power). The woke would say that the white european way of...
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deciding what society believes and who should have power only applies to white European culture. The woke think when enlightenment liberals tell other cultures science is the correct way to know things, the liberals are forcing their culture on other people, colonizing them.
deciding what society believes and who should have power only applies to white European culture. The woke think when enlightenment liberals tell other cultures science is the correct way to know things, the liberals are forcing their culture on other people, colonizing them.
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Why do they think that? Because they think the reason liberals tell other cultures science is the correct way to know things is so liberals can use the white European way of knowing to decide white European beliefs are "true" for society, to give the power to white Europeans.
Why do they think that? Because they think the reason liberals tell other cultures science is the correct way to know things is so liberals can use the white European way of knowing to decide white European beliefs are "true" for society, to give the power to white Europeans.
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In other words the woke would look at science and say "you are only saying science is the way to know what is true so that you can force your white European beliefs on other cultures and then be in charge of them by deciding what everyone believes."
In other words the woke would look at science and say "you are only saying science is the way to know what is true so that you can force your white European beliefs on other cultures and then be in charge of them by deciding what everyone believes."
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The woke think the answer to this is to legitimize "other ways of knowing" so that white people don't go around trying to control all the other societies by claiming that science is the way to get things right. Let's look at an example...
The woke think the answer to this is to legitimize "other ways of knowing" so that white people don't go around trying to control all the other societies by claiming that science is the way to get things right. Let's look at an example...
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Liberals might say the theory of evolution is true, and we can use that theory to set policy with regard to forests. The woke would say "you're just using the theory of evolution to justify controlling indigenous hunting lands." The woke solution would be to....
Liberals might say the theory of evolution is true, and we can use that theory to set policy with regard to forests. The woke would say "you're just using the theory of evolution to justify controlling indigenous hunting lands." The woke solution would be to....
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elevate the indigenous creation myth and say that the indigenous creating story is as true and valid as the theory of evolution, and therefore the theory of evolution can't be the arbiter of forest policy.
See how it works?
elevate the indigenous creation myth and say that the indigenous creating story is as true and valid as the theory of evolution, and therefore the theory of evolution can't be the arbiter of forest policy.
See how it works?
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Everytime we make laws, rules, or policy in the west we try to figure out what is objectively true (in the liberal sense) so we get the policy that best matches reality. The woke think that we are not being honest with them, or ourselves, when we say that...
Everytime we make laws, rules, or policy in the west we try to figure out what is objectively true (in the liberal sense) so we get the policy that best matches reality. The woke think that we are not being honest with them, or ourselves, when we say that...
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They think we're playing a game they see right through, and what is REALLY going on in our example has nothing to do with the best policy. Rather it's just an excuse to control the forest and thus the indigenous hunting lands; a power grab to control indigenous people.
They think we're playing a game they see right through, and what is REALLY going on in our example has nothing to do with the best policy. Rather it's just an excuse to control the forest and thus the indigenous hunting lands; a power grab to control indigenous people.
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So the woke say the indigenous creation story is as valid and true and the theory of evolution, that way we can't use evolution as an excuse to set forest policy.
Thus the woke say indigenous creation stories and the theory of evolution are equally valid 'ways of knowing'
So the woke say the indigenous creation story is as valid and true and the theory of evolution, that way we can't use evolution as an excuse to set forest policy.
Thus the woke say indigenous creation stories and the theory of evolution are equally valid 'ways of knowing'
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The point of "ways of knowing" is to pluralize the term used to discuss knowledge. Rather then talking about "epistemology" which indicates there is a study of knowledge with one proper conclusion, "ways of knowing" implies many different but equally valid conclusions.
The point of "ways of knowing" is to pluralize the term used to discuss knowledge. Rather then talking about "epistemology" which indicates there is a study of knowledge with one proper conclusion, "ways of knowing" implies many different but equally valid conclusions.
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This means the woke don't believe any method to gain knowledge is objectively correct. There's just different, equally valid "ways of knowing".
This puts emotions, feelings, dreams, stories, and myths on the same level as science for understanding things like cancer research.
This means the woke don't believe any method to gain knowledge is objectively correct. There's just different, equally valid "ways of knowing".
This puts emotions, feelings, dreams, stories, and myths on the same level as science for understanding things like cancer research.
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So when you see "ways of knowing" this is what they have in mind: declaring that there is no way to decide that one epistemology (way of knowing) is objectively better at producing statements that correspond to the external world than any other epistemology "way of knowing."
So when you see "ways of knowing" this is what they have in mind: declaring that there is no way to decide that one epistemology (way of knowing) is objectively better at producing statements that correspond to the external world than any other epistemology "way of knowing."
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This means the woke believe all truth is subjective and in some sense relative.
That's no way to run cancer research, a Covid-19 lab, or for an engineering firm. However, it is what is being taught in our universities, and that should be a wake up call for all of us
/fin
This means the woke believe all truth is subjective and in some sense relative.
That's no way to run cancer research, a Covid-19 lab, or for an engineering firm. However, it is what is being taught in our universities, and that should be a wake up call for all of us
/fin
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