conceptual-pluralism
The recognition that different civilizations might develop radically different conceptual frameworks and scientific paradigms that are not directly translatable or comparable to ours.
1 chapter across 1 book
Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (2003)Nicholas Rescher
This chapter explores the idea that natural science, as practiced by humans, is a uniquely human enterprise shaped by our particular biological, cognitive, and environmental conditions. It argues against the assumption that there is a single universal science applicable to all possible intelligent beings, emphasizing instead the potential diversity in scientific methods, concepts, and subject matters that could arise in alien civilizations. The chapter highlights the importance of process and purpose over content similarity in defining what counts as science and stresses that alien sciences might be radically different and potentially incomprehensible from our standpoint.