Popper's idea of the third world is relevant here
it is in short the world of knowledge
we come into this world as knowers facing the unknown
this relation never alters
however we do not come to an empty slate
the world is full of knowledge
in fact we can speak of the world of knowledge
as the epistemological reality we inherit and which we begin with
any attempt to explain
any act that is of reflection
begins with what is epistemologically given to the knower
this - whatever it is - is what the knower works with
acceptance or rejection
partial or total
the fact remains we begin with epistemological pictures
these pictures are in themselves never fixed or stable
any stability is a matter of decision and convention
what I am trying to get at here is that reflection is never content free
the operation of reflection
is an operation with content
content that exists because it in some sense is given
the mind is always full
the question of what view to take on what issue is a question of which picture to see
the world through
the fact of different metaphysical pictures - points to the unknown - and raises
questions
questions for the reflective mind
what to do?
develop a concept of truth - and regard certain conceptions as false
go for some kind of commitment
or be open to the use of different conceptions
and keep an open mind
