> Problem . Radical constructivism, although having a very successful base in research on mathematics and science education, has not become a generally accepted theory of knowledge. > Purpose . This paper discusses possible sources of aversion. > Results . The first section makes explicit the unavoidability of accepting the responsibility for one's thinking and acting, a responsibility that under stressful circumstances one would rather avoid. Another section suggests the origin of the human quest for certain knowledge. The third section introduces the notion of "stickiness of beliefs." > Implications . Constructivism has powerful implications for everyday attitudes and social relations with others. This paper, it is hoped, may induce some readers to investigate these implications.

> Purpose - In the forthcoming book Partial Memories, Ernst von Glasersfeld presents a chronological patchwork of autobiographical memories. Constructivist Foundations selected six of the 92 sketches to provide a preview of this book. > Content - The selected sketches cover the 1930s, when von Glasersfeld became interested in epistemology, and the 1970s, when he found experimental and argumentative support for his radical constructivism. > Implications - The colorful life of von Glasersfeld gives an impression of how many turns it has taken him to construct his insights.

Purpose - Radical constructivism holds that experiential reality is created by each individual. As a way of thinking, it unquestionably belongs to the theories of knowledge that are called "subjectivist" and "relativist". This paper deals with the Italian philosopher Adriano Tilgher's analysis of the relation between relativism and fascism and examines the possible impact of this connection on constructivism and its view of ethics. Approach - Conceptual analysis and the demonstration of a contradiction in Tilgher's argumentation. Findings - A review of the ethics inherent in Kant's categorical imperative shows a tendency towards a subjectivism that may hint at anarchism but in no way implies fascism. Implications - This investigation should make it more difficult for critics of constructivism to relate it to fascism.

Open peer commentary on the target article "Who Conceives of Society?" by Ernst von Glasersfeld. First paragraph: Ernst von Glasersfeld sets out to explain how familiar patterns (signs) arise in pr ...

Purpose - The notion of dichotomy is central to Josef Mitterer's work and he uses the term as a portmanteau. My paper characterizes the specific dichotomies he describes, uses C. K. Ogden's work on "Opposition" to classify them, and reviews attempts to overcome incompatible oppositions in other disciplines. Approach - Conceptual analysis in an attempt to show some of the conceptual differences in the various types of opposition. A "sampler" indicates possible divisions. Findings - From the constructivist point of view, the notion of dichotomy is a complex one and must be divided into separate types, not all of which can be discarded in rational discourse. Implications - From this author's perspective, Mitterer's publications present a powerful stand against the tradition of realism and lead one to hope that his next will be a primer of non-dualistic discourse.

Problem - How can constructivists speak of social interaction or communication with others, when, as they claim, their experiential world is their own construction? This question is frequently asked and is perfectly reasonable. The present paper is intended as an answer. R Solution - After providing an outline of the constructivist approach to perception and the generation of recognizable objects in the experiential field, I argue that "others," too, can be explained as an individual's creation; a creation, however, that is just as constrained by the condition of viability as are the physical objects with which we furnish our world. Consequently, "society" too can be considered an individual construct rather than an ontological given. R Benefits - The exposition may help to clarify the constructivist position with regard to social interaction and communication.

Purpose: An attempt to interpret the fragments of Parmenides as a first suggestion of a constructivist epistemology. Today, two and a half millennia later, no one can be sure of what exactly …

Purpose: The paper contributes to the naturalization of epistemology. It suggests tentative itineraries for the progression from elementary experiential situations to the abstraction of the concepts of unit, plurality, number, point, line, and plane. It also provides a discussion of the question of certainty in logical deduction and arithmetic. Approach: Whitehead's description of three processes involved in criticizing mathematical thinking (1956) is used to show discrepancies between a traditional epistemological stance and the constructivist approach to knowing and communication. Practical implications: Reducing basic abstract terms to experiential situations should make them easier to conceive for students.

Excerpt: Love – as Ovid pointed out long ago – is an art. It has to be constantly created and requires persistent vigilance, care, and thoughtfulness. This is very clear from a constructivist …

Excerpt: In 1974… I wrote a chapter assembling some philosophical precedents and presenting my interpretation of Piaget’s theory. It was the first time the epithet “radical” was used. It …