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Philosophy As Criticism-// the defects of various alternative positions consists in the fact that developing a sceptical attitude is a distinct possibility. As against this, viewing the critical approach as merely a means carries with it the advantage of considering the function of criticism as highlighting the limitations of theories proposed in philosophy. Spotlighting the limitations presupposes that the theories under criticism have their own value, however limited they may be. Not condemning rival theories as totally worthless is tantamount to considering them significant in some respect.
We are now in a position to argue that a constructive-critical approach results by adopting the positive rather than a negative attitude to sister-systems and rival philosophers. Such an approach to other
and schools of thought which scrupulously avoids destructive criticism and carefully nurtures creativity, incorporates within itself both the processes of analysis and synthesis as components which complement one another.
While analysis is mainly aimed at isolating and separating divergent strains of thought which are found together as related, synthesis is concerned chiefly with finding a meaningful whole in the situation of relatedness of different elements, ideas, parts or aspects. Synthesis signifies something more difficult to achieve than reconciliation. For, the latier is aimed at merely removing conflicts between opposites whereas the former points to a 'new creation' - crcating something new out of different things, ideas, etc. which need not necessarily be opposites of each other. Obviously therefore reconciliation by itself need not always pave the way to a synthesis just as attempts at arriving at a synthesis need not presuppose opposition and confrontation. Such a distinction need not preclude areas of overlap either. And it is because of this that the idea of synthesis can be understood better by considering the idea of reconciliation.
Reconciliation is sought after when the inquirer is faced with two opposite theories (S is P and S is nol-P) regarding an issue (free-will, knowledge, existence of God, etc.). The attempt at reconciliation has been made in the history of philosophy in six different ways:
1. By accepting one of the opposite theories as true and rejecting the other as false. (S is P; S is not not-P.) This type of reconciliation is quite common; it is resorted to frequently. It seems to be a natural tendency even among philosophers to resort to this method of reconciliation.
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