Response to Stephen

"Were it to seem 'viable' to a student that 1+1 came out to some other figure, would a teacher be in a position to correct them under RC theory?"


You have to accept certain "truths" in order to do math. 1+1=2 means nothing unless you accept certain postulates as true. So, if a student refused to do math because he or she did not accept these postulates, then I think that would be supported by a radical constructivist. However, I am less sure about what a radical constructivist would think of a student who came to the conclusion that 1+1=3 after accepting the postulates. It seems hard to argue that that could be correct. I think there is value in the notion that "objective truths" that we take for granted (such as 1+1=2) should be challenged. However, in every area of life, we must accept certain "postulates" in order to function. I wouldn't even be writing this if I was a radical constructivist because, for all I know, nobody in this class actually exists and my blog will never be seen by anyone. For my own benefit, I have to just accept that there is a reality outside of my own perceptions.

Question: Is it valid to reject radical constructivism solely because it makes it very hard (or maybe even impossible) to function normally in society?