About one geographical metaphor

The fact that four hemispheres are marked on the globe, but only two of those possess their poles, is presented in the article as a metaphor for the need of referring to the structure of objectivity when one formulates the problems and results of research in the humanities. The metaphor illustrates the role of axiomatic syntax. This role is specifically manifested in the evaluation of epistemic success in formal philosophical discussions, i.e., during the defense of qualification works or the experts’ assessment of initiative research. The study is carried out on the basis of the concept of “epistemic virtues” (Lorrsine Daston, Peter Galison) and the methodological consequences of this concept which have been presented in works on mapping the space of thought experiments as well as in works performed with the involvement of the ideas of modern theoretical geography and semiotics. The geographic metaphor of the poles, firstly, demonstrates the navigational role of philosophy in the construction of cognitive maps. Axiomatic planes and/or decision spaces are a particular case of such maps. The syntax of epistemic virtues forms a “compass needle”. Secondly, it serves as an illustration of the fact that any conventional distinctions (and/or any configurations of conceptual constructions) make sense only if the limits of structural objectivity are observed. And, thirdly, the metaphor demonstrates that the paths of arguments lose their meaning on those cognitive maps that are created assuming the existence not so much of the West and East poles as in the spaces absurdly given by the West and North or East and South Poles. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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