Theme 1: Theory of knowledge and theory of science

1. In the preface to the second edition of "Critique of Pure Reason" (page B xvi) Kant says: "Thus far it has been assumed that all our cognition must conform to objects. On that presupposition, however, all our attempts to establish something about them a priori, by means of concepts through which our cognition would be expanded, have come to nothing. Let us, therefore, try to find out by experiment whether we shall not make better progress in the problems of metaphysics if we assume that objects must conform to our cognition." How are we to understand this?

Kant’s view gives a strong response to the point that instead of naturally understanding everything, we can only obtain knowledge by experiencing. He mentions that not objects influence human’s cognition but objects conform to our cognition. For example, before Copernicus gave a entirely new scientific theory about solar system, the common explanation about solar system is all planets run around earth. However, Copernicus’s perception which is totally different from the original knowledge expresses that sun is the real center and all spectator moves around it. Since cognition is based on our previous experience rather than prior or presupposition, a large number of experiments will drive cognition to more accurate level.Therefore, Kant aimed to develop human’s more creative thinking ability, using different ways and think more to look at objects, even the world.

2. At the end of the discussion of the definition "Knowledge is perception",  Socrates argues that we do not see and hear "with" the eyes and the ears, but "through" the eyes and the ears. How are we to understand this? And in what way is it correct to say that Soctrates argument is directed towards what we in modern terms call "empiricism"?

  

In terms of “Knowledge is perception”, it can be interpreted as that we use sense to get knowledge, not sight and sound. Seeing and hearing are two significant ways of cognition, to some extent. Body language, eye contact and verbal communication which are worked by eyes and ears are excellent choices for humans to perceive things. However, cognition is not limited to them. For instance, when our brain receive unknown language from foreigners or animals, we hear or see them but cannot understand the meaning of received information.

Yes, obviously Soctrates argument is directed towards what we in modern terms call “empiricism”. Empiricism is a theory that states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience(Wikipedia,2015). It means that knowledge is based on our experience. In Soctrates argument, listening and watching are the effective resources of gaining knowledge from our world. In other words, the process of perception approaches to a great amount of experiences. Therefore, Soctrates argument which represent an idea that we perceive different things to acquire knowledge for better understanding of the world we lived in is a more direct expression of “empiricism”.