ty are valid and applicable on both sides of the cognitive equation without contradiction.Accordingly, since the principles of identity and contradiction define the boundaries for every cognitive claim, both negatively (contradiction) and positively (identity), then these principles make up the essence of Hägerström’s epistemology. However, in order to avoid antinomies and aporias each area of investigation (logic, ontology, and epistemology) must be pursued separately.This does not mean that the different areas cannot be pursued by use of the same two principles. On the contrary, the principles in question constitute the basis for any philosophical investigation, for the objective standard for validity, reality, and truth value respectively depend upon the proper application of the aforementioned principles. Knowledge as such, or knowledge seen as an object, expresses a cognitive hierarchy ranging from the level of undiscerned knowledge, in which the different elements of an object are left undiscerned, to the level of discerned knowledge, in which all different elements of an object are discerned.At the lowest level of knowledge, which is usually expressed by the self-consciousness (Swedish: jagmedvetandet), nothing is discerned from its surroundings. Buy analogy, Hägerström uses music to illustrate his point. Provided that the musical concept tone is the objective standard for musical cognition, then, if the tones in a piece of music are not discerned from one another (or from surrounding sounds), then the actual apprehension of the piece of music expresses a lower level and form of knowledge than when the different tones are discerned from one another (and from surrounding sounds), which thus expresses a higher level of musical knowledge.146 Hägerström is therefore convinced that the “self ” [jaget] itself cannot constitute the principle of objective cognition. Something else must accordingly be added to the “self ” or replace the “self ” a ca l l f o r s c i e n t i f i c p u r i t y 217 146 Hägerström, Till analysen, p. 74. 3. 3. 2 the cogni t ive hi e rarchy
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