Science for Education Today, 2024, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 70–87
© Serkova V. A., 2024
UDC: 
165+37.01+371.263

Formation of conceptual representations of reality on the basis of reflective practice (research experience)

Serkova V. A. 1 (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation)
1 Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
Full text (Open Access) — Downloaded 185
Abstract: 

Introduction. The transition from ordinary perceptions of reality to conceptualized ones is a significant problem of philosophical education. The aim of this article is to identify the ways of this transition in the course of doctoral students' work with modern philosophical literature, to substantiate ontological and epistemological principles of understanding reality, and to summarize modern approaches to solving this problem.
Materials and Methods. On the basis of teaching practice, which goes back to Socrates' Maieutic method, the principle of "pro et contra", and substantially determined by the discussions of realists and anti-realists about the nature of reality, the ways of strengthening the discipline of judgment, improving the reflexive culture, clarifying the bases of one's own ideas about the world and formalizing them in a thoughtful system of judgments are revealed.
The method of research into the formation of conceptual representations of reality involves analyzing the ways of transition from unconsidered opinions through the recognition of their insufficiency and unsatisfactoriness to such knowledge, which Plato called ‘theory’ (θεωρία), i.e. rationally constructed principles of analytics. In this methodological approach (communicative-competence - in the modern formulation), the very sequence of cognitive acts is important: from ordinary ‘naïve’ perceptions - to a clear understanding of the complexity of the problem - then to the formation of questions in the audience that lead beyond a surface view of reality - and to the possible conceptual coherence and validity of perceptions of reality.
Results. In the course of History and Philosophy of Science for doctoral students, the author proposed and justified the use of a three-level construct of moving from everyday representations of reality to conceptually meaningful ones. At the first level it was proposed to give an intuitive definition of the concept of ‘reality’; at the second level to analyze it, relying on sources from among those recommended by the lecturer or chosen independently, then briefly formulate the essence of realistic and anti-realistic approaches and identify the logic of one of them, and at the third level to move to the opposite position and present the relevant arguments. The author summarized the results of this procedure, which includes critical overcoming of ordinary statements about the nature of reality and dialogue between opposite conceptual solutions to the problem, and substantiated that such practice gives the effect of "awakened consciousness" and becomes the basis for readiness to conduct an internal dialogue on complex philosophical problems.
Conclusions. The skills of reality analysis presented in the article develop and improve the reflexive practice of young researchers, clarify the basis of their own perceptions of the world, formalize them in a reasoned and critically elaborated system of judgments, and form their readiness to solve complex problems in science and philosophy.

Keywords: 

Analytics of reality; Natural attitude; Scientific realism; Anti-realism; Everyday representation; Conceptual knowledge; Unaccounted ontological assumptions

For citation:
Serkova V. A. Formation of conceptual representations of reality on the basis of reflective practice (research experience). Science for Education Today, 2024, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 70–87. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15293/2658-6762.2403.04
References: 
  1. Laird-Gentle A., Larkin, K., Kanasa H., Grootenboer P. Systematic quantitative literature review of the dialogic pedagogy literature. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 2023, vol. 46 (1), pp. 29–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44020-022-00029-9
  2. Zanetti L. Philosophical problems in the classroom. Metodo. International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy, 2023, vol. 11 (1), pp. 321–351. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19079/metodo.11.1.321   URL: https://philarchive.org/rec/ZANPPI
  3. Vladimirov Y. S. Russian thinkers about the bases of physical reality. Metaphysics. Scientific Journal, 2021, no. 1, pp. 140–150. (In Russian) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22363/2224-7580-2021-1-140-150  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46222513
  4. Terekhovich V. E. Structures, objects, and reality. Part 1. Epistemology & Philosophy of Science, 2022, vol. 59 (3), pp. 166–184. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=49497419
  5. Golovko N. V., Ertel I. I. Ontic structural realism: Pattern ontology and the modal nature of structures. Siberian Philosophical Journal, 2020, vol. 18 (4), pp. 5–29. (In Russian) URL: https://elibrary.ru/contents.asp?id=45542279
  6. Makeeva L. B. The relevance theory, pragmatics and the problem of meaning.           The Philosophy Journal, 2022, vol. 15 (3), pp. 125–139. (In Russian) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21146/2072-0726-2022-15-3-125-139   URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=42617876
  7. Petrenko M. V. Basis of the cognitive theory of metaphor: A critical analysis. Bulletin of Tomsk State University. Philosophy. Sociology. Political science, 2020, no.53, pp. 13–19. (In Russian)  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=42617876
  8. Ladov V. A. Analytical realism: Challenges and development prospects. Bulletin of Tomsk State University. Philosophy. Sociology. Political science, 2022,no.68, pp. 25–34. (In Russian)  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=49705693
  9. Kosykhin V. G., Malkina S. M. Metaphysics and realism contexts of return. Epistemology & Philosophy of Science, 2021, vol. 58 (2), pp. 216–224. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/eps202158237 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46288929

10.Muss A. I. The concept of mind in contemporary philosophy. Questions of Philosophy, 2021, no. 2, pp. 100–106. (In Russian) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21146/0042-8744-2021-2-100-106  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44721153

11.Beni M. Cognitive penetration and cognitive realism.Episteme, 2021, vol. 21 (1), pр. 270–285. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/epi.2021.39

12.Chakravartty А. Resolving debates about scientific realism: The challenge from stances. Philosophy of Science, 2023, first view, pр. 1–10. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/psa.2023.141 

13.Corti A. Scientific realism without reality? What happens when metaphysics is left out. Foundations of Science, 2023, vol. 28 (1), pp. 455–475. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-020-09705-w

14.Marchetti G. Introduction to in dialogue with Putnam: Pragmatism, realism, and normativity. European Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy, 2021, vol. XIII (2), pp. 2494. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/ejpap.2494  

15.Bastianelli M. Putnam’s no miracles argument. European Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy, 2021, vol. XIII (2), pp. 2524. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/ejpap.2524 

16.Sacilotto D. Realism and representation: On the ontological turn. Speculations IV: Speculative Realism, 2013, pp. 53–62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.2353969.11

17.Pils R. Quine's scientific realism revisited. Theoria, 2020, vol. 86 (5), pp. 612–642. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/theo.12273/  

18.Serkova V., Lobastova V. The problematics of reality in contemporary anti-realist philosophical theories (critical review). Horizon, 2022, vol. 11 (2), pp. 666–688. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.21638/2226-5260-2022-11-2-666-688 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50122864

19.Serkova V. A. The problem of reality in the philosophy of science by T. Kuhn. Epistemology & Philosophy of Science, 2022, vol. 59 (4), pp. 221–236. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/eps202259467 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50037802

Date of the publication 30.06.2024