02/23/17

Man and Sin by Piet Schoonenberg (1964) 2.3 Y-1

[Even science builds on social construction.

Consider the idea that a glass of water has more molecules than all the people on the planet and all the people who ever lived. It makes no sense at all.

Technically speaking, ‘molecules’ are ens rationis (mind-dependent beings) constructed under strict conditions that presumes ‘the existence of ens reale (mind-independent beings)’.

Note, however, the presumption (that mind-independent beings exist) is itself an ens rationis (mind dependent being).

The presumption is a social construction.

The ‘molecule’ is a sensible construction that assumes the validity of the social construction of ens reale (mind independent being).]