Realistic epistemology is the sign that man does have the capacity to be in touch with the world. Epistemology comes from the two Greek words episteme (knowledge) and logos (reason, word, study), which taken together is the branch of study that concerns itself with how man knows something, what is happening in our minds when we know something. Realistic points to the certitude that man can be in touch with real things. A realistic epistemology says, “I really am reading this blog.”
Leap from opinion to knowledge different for each person. Hard to see truth when living immoral life. Sin makes one stupid.
This point of view is contrasted with an idealism epistemology, which posits that we don’t know existences. There is an unbridgeable gap between the subject (the person’s mind) and the object (the world out there). We can know the content of our thoughts but we really don’t know if it is accurate. An idealistic epistemology says, “It APPEARS that I am reading this blog. I don’t have any real knowledge that this is a blog.”
Solipsism is an extreme form of idealism. In this philosophy, we only have consciousness without any capacity of the mind to get outside of oneself. I have my point of view and you have yours and there is no power to set it right. Some might wonder, how could anyone ever hold this position? I propose mass hysteria is an excellent portrayal of such a phenomena. Idealism and solipsism leads to agnosticism because we really don’t know anything outside of our consciousness. Maybe the cat exists or not, no way to know for sure and it really does not matter as mater itself is unimportant.
Without a realistic epistemology, we cannot have certitude of the real order of things, especially about the natural world and the soul, and then we cannot have truth. Man is created for truth and without certitude of it he becomes fearful and despondent. He is stuck in a kind of agnosticism about everything, especially those things that transcend the physical world, the metaphysics of things. This agnosticism has devastating effects on theology because it ultimately says that we cannot know the doctrines of our faith.
See the despair, statistic 57% liberal women treated for mental conditions. Living in a world delude self, see what is not see, cannot fail to lead to insanity. Lie to self not a real thing, severe harm, realistic epistemology we can and are created to know things.
5 senses without purpose if not for discern world around you. No communion with another person.
We are not self-sufficient. Pius XI human family is primary for education is not sufficient for itself. Family cannot supply all its needs.
Rugged individualism detrimental to human person, man not meant to live alone.