ABSTRACT
This chapter explores some of the parallels, showing how overwhelming the intellectual current is becoming. The most central claim of social constructivism is that no certain knowledge is possible, and in particular no certain knowledge of mathematics is possible. Concerning empirical knowledge, this thesis is one that is subscribed to by many philosophers. However, social constructivism does not entail the fullest of scepticism, such as cartesian doubt. For it accepts the existence of the physical world (whilst denying certain knowledge of it) and accepts the existence of language and the social group. Studies of the micro social context concern negotiation within groups of individuals, leading to the acceptance of logical argument or mathematical knowledge, as well as concepts. Such theories reflect the quasi-empiricist account of the acceptance of knowledge, on the empirical level. In the extreme case, all human knowledge is seen as relative to social groups and their interests, and physical reality itself is regarded as a social construction.
