Traditional epistemology often assumes that knowledge involves representing independent, discrete objects “out there” in a mind or theory. However, a relational ontology challenges this foundation by emphasising that entities and their properties arise only within networks of relations.
In this post, we explore how knowledge itself must be rethought as a process of relational engagement and co-actualisation, rather than a static correspondence with pre-existing substances.
1. The Limits of Representationalism
Classical epistemology presumes:
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Knowledge as representation of fixed, mind-independent entities,
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Objects with intrinsic properties accessible in principle,
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Observers as detached from the observed.
Quantum mechanics problematises these assumptions:
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Properties are often contextual and relational,
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The observer is part of the system,
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Measurement outcomes are actualisations dependent on interaction.
2. Knowledge as Relational Co-Actualisation
Within a relational framework:
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Knowledge is not a mirror but a participatory process,
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It involves engagement with relational potentials that actualise through interaction,
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Observers and systems co-constitute what can be known.
This reframes epistemology as an unfolding dance of relations, rather than a static snapshot.
3. Implications for Objectivity and Truth
Relational epistemology suggests:
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Objectivity arises from intersubjective coordination within relational networks,
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Truth is not absolute but depends on the stability and coherence of relational patterns,
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Knowledge is always partial and situated, shaped by context and constraints.
4. Epistemic Responsibility
Acknowledging the observer’s role invites a renewed sense of responsibility:
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Knowledge practices must attend to the relational effects they enact,
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Ethical and epistemic dimensions intertwine,
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Openness to revising frameworks is crucial as relational configurations evolve.
Closing
Reimagining epistemology through relationality shifts the quest for knowledge from discovery of static facts to participation in dynamic processes of becoming.
In the next post, we will explore how this relational epistemology shapes our understanding of responsibility and agency in complex systems.
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