EHE Book Reviews

Skeptical/Critical Approaches Record Type: Review ID: 638
Baffling Phenomena and Other Studies in the Philosophy of Knowledge and Validation Rescher, Nicholas
Philosopher Rescher says "a baffling phenomenon is exactly one whose every currently conjectured plausible explanation involves abandoning some currently accepted explanatory principle" (p. 2). He discusses the prominence of baffling phenomena in nature and in human psychology. Of special interest is his list of reactions of individuals and communities when faced with a baffling phenomenon: dismissal, degradation, accommodation, resignation, and mystification. He rejects all of these, proposing that we maintain faith that the scientific method, although it may not be able to deal with such phenomena in the present, will be able to in the future. In the meantime, it is essential that we maintain "a distinction between the interesting and impressive symptomatic and therapeutic phenomena ... and ... the often extravagant and problematic theories by which people endeavor to account for them" (p. 13).
Publisher Information:	Savage, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1991, (pp. 1-14)

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Baffling Phenomena and Other Studies in the Philosophy of Knowledge and Validation