CERTITUDE, SCEPTICISM AND THE PATHWAY TO KNOWLEDGE

Résumé

The present paper focuses on the epistemics of navigating the pathway to knowledge. It states the traditional programme of epistemology and the milestones of certitude, justification and scepticism on this pathway. It attempts an analysis of the various forms of scepticism in the history of philosophy as they are encountered in the search for certitude, truth and knowledge in the purest sense. The Sophists, Cartesians, Humeans and the Popperian sceptics were jettisoned. The paper then goes further to present the position that, though the abovementioned variants of scepticism were harmful to the pursuit of knowledge, a given type of sceptical orientation could be accepted and employed as we seek knowledge. This variant of scepticism is found to be represented in scepticism and animal rationality of George Santayana. The position presents ruthless caution and rigour while man must not be pessimistic of the possibility of knowledge, truth and objective reality. The paper sees the project of knowledge as useful to the extent that it is meant to bring to the fore the conditions of fidelity and happiness as knowledge is not just for its own sake but, for human interest. The methodology employed in this paper includes conceptual analysis, clarifications and argumentation. It engages some textbook analysis aimed at arriving at a reconstructionist epistemology.