¿Realismo o Pragmatismo? El debate Rorty vs Taylor sobre las implicaciones de la superación de la Epistemología

Abstract

This paper analyses the discussion between Taylor and Rorty about the results of overcoming epistemology. Firstly, the article summarizes the Taylor's criticism to Rorty. Secondly, it considers the rortyan response to Taylor and his own arguments against Taylor's realism. The main disagreements between Rorty and Taylor are as follow: 1) Rorty says that pragmatism overcomes epistemology, Taylor, on the contrary, says that it is an uncompromising realism which overcomes the mainstream epistemological tradition; 2) they disagree about how to understand vocabularies: Taylor claims that it is always possible to know what vocabulary describes better the world, but Rorty seems to claim that vocabularies are incommensurable; 3) Taylor thinks of truth as a correspondence relation to the world; Rorty, however, dismisses that conception. Thirdly, it is made an evaluation of the arguments offered by each side. Especially, that section argues against the rortyan conception of language games and its non-realistic consequences. Finally, it is suggested a reconsideration of the dichotomy realism-pragmatism.

Keywords

• Richard Rorty
• Charles Taylor
• epistemología
• realismo
• pragmatismo.