Questions from Q&A-
2. Although Stecker’s view of interpretations combines critical pluralism and monism, is he more supportive of one of them?
(Actual Response is more of a general response to Stecker’s piece)
Subsequent to my reading of Stecker’s work, it was clear that he supported a view that combines critical pluralism and critical monism. However, it seems as though these two views are not actually compatible. Stecker is only able to amalgamate these two opposing views by placing them on separate planes. Stecker represents critical monism through ascertaining that truthful interpretations exist, and that every truthful interpretation can be combined to form one, comprehensive, correct interpretation. This seems by definition incompatible with a pluralist view. If there is only a single, correct interpretation then there cannot be many acceptable interpretations. Accordingly, Stecker represents a view in support of critical monism. However, Stecker argues that pluralism can still coincide with this monist account. How could this be possible, one might ask. It is only possible because Stecker treats his version of critical pluralism in a completely different fashion then he does with his pluralist view. Stecker claims to represent a pluralist view because, in his view, there are many “acceptable” interpretations. Consequently, according to Stecker, monism and pluralism can exist in harmony. Not so fast, Stecker. “Acceptableness” and “correctness”, as Stecker describes them, are two completely different terms. Saying that there is one “correct” interpretation, but many “acceptable” interpretations does not lead to the conclusion that these two opposing views can work in conjunction. In this case, there would still only be one “correct” interpretation; thus, illustrating support for critical monism. Stecker’s description of so-called acceptable interpretations does not tell me anything about whether I should deem an interpretation correct or not. Accordingly, it should be left out of this discussion. As a result of this, I view Stecker as primarily representing a view of critical monism.
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