Perspectivism of the Cognitive Sciences

A philosophical framework holding that our understanding of cognition is always from a perspective—that what cognitive science discovers depends on the methods, models, and theoretical frameworks it employs. Perspectives in cognitive science include computational models, neural approaches, embodied theories, extended-mind frameworks, phenomenological accounts—each revealing different aspects of cognition, each limited by its assumptions. Perspectivism doesn't claim that all accounts are equally valid, but that validity is always validity-from-a-perspective. It demands that cognitive scientists be explicit about their commitments, recognizing that the tools they choose shape what they can find.

Example: "Her perspectivism of the cognitive sciences meant she could see that computational models revealed something real about the mind, but so did phenomenological accounts of lived experience. Neither was the whole truth; each was truth-from-a-perspective."

by Dumu The Void March 20, 2026

Perspectivism of the Natural Sciences

A philosophical framework holding that natural science is always from a perspective—that what scientists discover depends on their theories, instruments, and conceptual frameworks. Perspectivism rejects the idea that science provides a "view from nowhere," insisting that scientific knowledge is always situated. A physicist studying quantum phenomena sees differently than a biologist studying cells; a chemist using spectroscopy sees differently than one using chromatography. Perspectivism doesn't make science subjective; it recognizes that scientific objectivity is achieved from particular perspectives, not from nowhere. It demands that scientists be reflective about the perspectives that shape their work.

Example: "Her perspectivism of the natural sciences meant she saw particle physics and condensed matter physics not as competing for a single truth, but as different perspectives on physical reality—each revealing aspects the other misses."

by Dumu The Void March 20, 2026

Perspectivism of the Exact Sciences

A philosophical framework holding that mathematics and logic are always from a perspective—that what a mathematician sees depends on their theoretical commitments, their choice of axioms, their research program. Perspectivism rejects the idea that mathematics is a single edifice of timeless truth. Different mathematical frameworks (classical, intuitionistic, constructive) reveal different aspects of mathematical reality; different logical systems (classical, paraconsistent, modal) are appropriate for different purposes. Perspectivism demands that mathematicians and logicians be explicit about their frameworks, recognizing that perspective shapes what can be proved.

Example: "Her perspectivism of the exact sciences meant she could work in both classical and intuitionistic logic—not because she was inconsistent, but because each was a perspective suited to different problems."

by Dumu The Void March 20, 2026

Perspectivism of the Formal Sciences

A philosophical framework holding that formal systems are always from a perspective—that what a formalism reveals depends on the perspective from which it is developed and applied. Different logical systems reveal different aspects of reasoning; different programming paradigms reveal different aspects of computation; different formal frameworks make different phenomena visible. Perspectivism demands that formal scientists be explicit about their frameworks, recognizing that the formalisms they choose shape what they can express.

Example: "Her perspectivism of the formal sciences meant she saw functional programming, object-oriented programming, and logic programming not as competing for the one true way to compute, but as different perspectives on computation—each suited to different problems."

by Dumu The Void March 20, 2026

Shopping perspectives

When people from northern europe travel to Africa to see the poverty and get a kick out of reality, in order to put their everyday life 'in a bigger perspective'.

"So has he been out saving the world with Bono the past 4 months?"

"No, I think he's just been shopping perspectives.."

by The Love Cats March 26, 2010

Forced perspective

Forced perception is when you take a photo or create a false vision where size is in equal proportion.

If you place a foot right up close to the camera and have a person far away, but in alignment with the foot to create the illusion of a giant stepping on them. That is forced perspective.

by Faceman101202303 July 27, 2016

linear perspective

Using lines going diagonally backward to make art look nice.

I painted a box. It had a linear perspective.

by Set Blue 23 October 5, 2017