Representation and ideology of representation in modern empiricism

Abstract

Ιn this essay we investigate the alleged foundational crisis faced by modern epistemology during the first half of the twentieth century; in particular, we are concerned with construing an interpretation of the foundational crisis usually associated with logical empiricism. Previous attempts at understanding the alleged crisis faced by modern epistemology focused either οn a presumed radical or moderate 'alienation' of epistemology from its own tradition as set out by the Kantian critical project; or οn a disorientation of epistemology's goals which amounted to overlooking the possibilities offered by alternatives such as coherentism and holism. Ιn contrast to these interpretations, we focus οn the historical character of epistemology qua philosophical discipline: we propose the notions of representation (Vorstellung), analytico-referentiality and the Analytic of Representations as fundamental components around which the project of modern epistemology is articulated. Moreover, we speak of the ideology of representation and the ideologization of representation as powerful conceptual tools that emerge within the perspective of a historicized epistemology. We claim that these tools along with their interpretative framework can be of considerable importance in evaluating and re-evaluating the modern epistemological project and its role within the philosophical practice.