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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

178888

On how epistemology and ontology converge through evolution

the applied evolutionary epistemological approach

Nathalie Gontier

pp. 533-569

Abstract

We examine how insights made in socio-anthropological and evolutionary schools of thought necessitate us to reevaluate the classic philosophical distinction between epistemology (knowledge) and ontology (reality). We adopt an applied evolutionary epistemological stance and demonstrate that both epistemology and ontology evolve. Epistemology is broadened to include all knowledge and information that all life forms evolve, and ontology encompasses all biologically informed realities that life builds. Through processes such as symbiosis and niche construction, organisms acquire and extend information and knowledge into their offspring, onto unrelated organisms, and onto their niches. Life builds biorealities that change over time. Consequently, knowledge and reality are mutable and truth is spatiotemporally bounded. We conclude that the classic distinction between epistemology and ontology has become superfluous and instead, we argue that the evolving knowledge that comes in the form of organisms and their extended niches equals ontological realities.

Publication details

Published in:

Wuppuluri Shyam, Doria Francisco Antonio (2018) The map and the territory: exploring the foundations of science, thought and reality. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 533-569

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-72478-2_30

Full citation:

Gontier Nathalie (2018) „On how epistemology and ontology converge through evolution: the applied evolutionary epistemological approach“, In: S. Wuppuluri & F.A. Doria (eds.), The map and the territory, Dordrecht, Springer, 533–569.