Cognitive investigations in Kantian perspective: towards new synthesis

A review of Bazhanov V.A.'s book argues that advances in neuroscience are transforming the Kantian program of consciousness research. The book contends that social and cultural revolutions in neuroscience modify the concept of the transcendental subject by incorporating neurobiological and social data about cognitive preconditions. In philosophy of science, this shift enables a naturalistic interpretation of sciences, clarifies empirical foundations of mathematics, and reinterprets a priori elements of mathematical thought. The analysis of evolutionary and neurobiological bases of logic revives psychologism, offering an original account of the plurality of logical systems. Topics in social sciences, art, ethics, and religion also gain new interpretations from cognitive science.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This is a review of the book Mozg - kultura - socium. Kantianskaya programma v cognitivnykh issledovaniyakh by Bazhanov V.A. The author`s main aim is a reconsideration of some fundamental principles of epistemology and philosophy of science in the light of state-of-the-art advancements of neurosciences. According to the author of the book, social and cultural revolution in neurosciences has been crucially modifying the initial Kantian program of consciousness research and the modes of linguistic representation of its results. In particular, in epistemology the universal concept of transcendental subject has been altered with regard to neurobiological and social data, which concern some preconditions of cognitive activity. In philosophy of science such a shift of research perspective allows to implement a naturalistic interpretation of natural sciences, clarifies the problem of empirical foundations of mathematics and sheds a new light on the problem of apriori elements of mathematical thought. The analysis of evolutionary and neurobiological preconditions of logical thought leads to the sort of revival of psychologism program in logic, which enables author to put forward an original interpretation of the problem of plurality of logical systems. Finally, some topics of social sciences as well as problems of genesis of art, ethical and religious systems, can acquire new interpretation with respect to modern investigations in cognitive science.