Cohen and Philosophy

In the field of psychology, psychologists have long strived for completely objective experiments on humans. The objectivity and the precision of the outcome are mandatory for scientifically acceptable results. In an article entitled “Analysis and Rationality” by L. Jonathan Cohen, the author states that experiments on humans cannot demonstrate the absence or presence of a human intuition that generates a set of correct logical principles. Cohen states that the sentences stated within the experiment do …showed first 75 words of 1037 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1037 total…or I could have a bad day and not pay attention to the experiment at hand. However it is not reasonable to claim that these experiments have no value. Experimental data is the only science we can accept. I think Cohen’s argument is too extreme to be readily applied to psychological experiments. I suggest we remind ourselves that experiments have some value and limits, and attempt to remain within the limits that experiments provide.