limits-of-understanding
The recognition that human knowledge of nature is necessarily incomplete and that the intelligibility of nature does not imply perfect or total comprehension.
1 chapter across 1 book
Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (2003)Nicholas Rescher
Chapter 15 explores the profound puzzle of why nature is intelligible to humans, particularly through mathematics and natural science. It critiques the notion that this intelligibility is a miracle or inexplicable mystery, arguing instead for a two-sided explanation rooted in humans being evolved parts of nature and nature affording conditions for intelligent beings to arise and comprehend it. The chapter emphasizes that while nature's intelligibility is remarkable, it is neither complete nor perfect, and understanding this requires demystifying the relationship between mind and nature.