Scientific Knowledge: the Demarcation Problem

Abstract

In the article analyzes the problem of the demarcation of scientific knowledge, formulations and justifications of the criterion for distinguishing scientific knowledge from other kinds of knowledge: everyday, philosophical, religious, artistic, etc. The author develops the concept of systematic demarcation of scientific knowledge. It means, first, that the demarcation criterion includes not one property of scientific knowledge, but the system of such properties. The properties of scientific knowledge according to the author are: objects of scientific knowledge, its reasoning, unambiguity of meaning and sense of its concepts and judgments, verification (empirical or
analytical), consistency, systematic, justification, generally accepted. And, secondly, that these properties are specific to their specificity towards different structural units of scientific knowledge:
scientific knowledge types, levels and atomic units of scientific knowledge. The main conclusion of
the article: methodological truth is (should be) equally concrete, like all other truths of science.