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Regulatory constructivism: On the relation between evolutionary epistemology and Piaget's genetic epistemology

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Abstract

It is argued that fundamental to Piaget's life works is a biologically based naturalism in which the living world is a nested complex of self-regulating, self-organising (constructing) adaptive systems. A structuralist-rationalist overlay on this core position is distinguished and it is shown how it may be excised without significant loss of content or insight. A new and richer conception of the nature of Piaget's genetic epistemology emerges, one which enjoys rich interrelationships with evolutionary epistemology. These are explored and it is shown how a regulatory systems evolutionary epistemology may be embedded within genetic epistemology.

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Hooker, C.A. Regulatory constructivism: On the relation between evolutionary epistemology and Piaget's genetic epistemology. Biol Philos 9, 197–244 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00857932

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