Piaget’s neo-Gödelian turn: Between biology and logic, origins of the New Theory

Abstract

Jean Piaget’s research program—which involved the study of child development as a central feature (viz. “stages”), but which can be understood more broadly as advancing a constructive theory of knowledge (i.e., “genetic epistemology”)—is thought by many contemporary developmentalists to have been guided by a coherent, complete, and unchanging meta-theoretical framework: “equilibration.” While this is correct philosophically, it is incorrect historically. Briefly put: the formal meaning of equilibration changed over time, and thus so too did the entirety of the theory that relied upon it. To focus in on one specific change of particular importance, this article examines how Piaget appealed to the changing ideas of Kurt Gödel and their interpretations by French-speaking logicians. This historical analysis (a Foucauldian archaeology) thereby excavates a “neo-Gödelian turn” in Piaget’s research program. The resulting framework is then sketched in outline: the updated formal meta-theory that made possible “Piaget’s new theory.”

On Kuhn’s case, and Piaget’s: A critical two-sited hauntology (or, On impact without reference)

“…30 It is therefore also a trait of his 'epistemic subject' (the idealized knower), rather than of all 'individual subjects' (children) who were examined in schools and laboratories around the world (see Niaz, 1991). In short, autonomy is a virtue in reflection of that ideal: a goal toward which our pedagogy should strive, but subordinated to higher ideals that undergird the developmental pathway as norms (such as 'truth'; see Burman, 2013Burman, , 2016Burman, , 2019.…”

“…Note of course that 'genetic' here means 'genesis' rather than 'related to genes' (Burman, 2012b: 285, n. 1; see also Burman, 2019;Burman, Bazar, and Weizmann, 2020). And note too that the theoretical changes made after the popularization have been referred to not only as 'Piaget's new theory' (Beilin, 1992;pace Smith, 2017), but also-to draw attention to his updated biological meta-theory-as 'epigenetic epistemology' (Burman, 2013(Burman, , 2016. 10.…”

“…The following autobiographical passage is typically quoted in discussions of the early biological and philosophical influences on Piaget’s theory (for instance, in Burman, 2016: 757; Chapman, 1988: 15; Messerly, 1996: 7). There, what he intended—whether originally or in recollection—was clearly meant to stand as a scientific universal:I suddenly understood [at around the age of 18 or so] that at all levels (viz.…”

“…As he put it most memorably: ‘logic is the morality of thought’ and ‘morality is the logic of action’ (Piaget, 1932: 404). Yet this is also clearly not logic in the way meant by the philosophers who later criticized him for his misuse of their formalisms (see, for instance, Quine’s complaint in a letter, also from 1960, about ‘Piaget’s persistent and evidently incorrigible stupidity over matters of logic’ [quoted in Burman, 2016: 760]). 32 Instead, logic to the child is just another form of developmental pressure.…”

Philosophical histories can be contextual without being sociological: Comment on Araujo’s historiography

“…And I don't deny this. (I am a firm believer in demonstrating how later ideas originated in earlier lineages, and thereby showing how previously incomprehensible or badly misunderstood ideas make sense in their proper context; e.g., Burman, 2012aBurman, , 2012bBurman, , 2013Burman, , 2015Burman, , 2016 My concern is rather with how his explanation of the approach will be understood; the impact it could have in its present form.…”