Premium
Experience and Reason in Einstein's Epistemology
Author(s) -
Glenn S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
metaphilosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1467-9973
pISSN - 0026-1068
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9973.2012.01752.x
Subject(s) - epistemology , relation (database) , philosophy , relevance (law) , einstein , theory of relativity , theoretical physics , computer science , physics , database , political science , law , mathematical physics
Albert E instein insists that his epistemology made his discovery of relativity possible. He believed it was his understanding of the relationship of experience and reason that allowed him to reconsider certain “truths” of physics. Specifically, he believed that reality and thought were independent but related, and that conceptual systems are independent of but conditioned by experience. Failure to understand the relation between experience and reason had, E instein believed, limited progress in science. His understanding of the relation, on the other hand, enabled him to formulate relativity theory and therefore provides one example of the relevance of philosophy to scientific inquiry.