Problems of Evolutionary Epistemology: Convergence of Scientific Theories to Truth in the Conditions of an Infinite Number of Possible Hypotheses

The article deals with the problem of convergence of scientific theory to truth in the framework of Karl Popper's evolutionary epistemology. It is shown that this problem arises due to the use of the analogy between biological evolution and formation of knowledge, i.e., the direct transfer of the principle of natural selection to the process of scientific research. Such an analogy is characteristic of evolutionary epistemology in general and, moreover, means a rejection of inductive methods of cognition. At the same time, within the framework of the modern concept of gene-cultural co-evolution proposed by Robert Boyd and Peter Richerson, it is assumed that culture generates its own principles of inheritance, in particular, the transfer of acquired characteristics, and, as a result, different selection mechanisms arise. Using this concept, the author shows that since cognition is part of culture, the methodology of scientific research cannot be reduced to natural selection. In other words, "conjectures and refutations" is not the only way to approach the truth. It is concluded that it is necessary to weaken the analogy between biological evolution and cognition so as to keep the evolutionary epistemology evolutionary, on the one hand, and preserve the possibility of using inductive methods of knowledge and specifically scientific values, on the other. Within the framework of the weakened version of the adaptation analogy, it is proposed to conduct an epistemological research in three stages. The first stage is a research of the evolution of scientific knowledge per se, i.e. the historical development of science and the criteria of scientific rationality, in particular, the inductive principles of knowledge, are considered on the example of the JSM-method proposed by Viktor Finn. At the second stage, the mechanisms of human perception are investigated, i.e., еру "theory of equipment", according to the apt expression of Konrad Lorenz, is formed. The article provides an example of the research of perception of causality. The last stage consists in synthesizing the results of the two previous ones, i.e.б a description of how the criteria of rationality are selected through the work of the mechanisms of perception. Thus, solving the problem of convergence of scientific theories to truth is reduced to the description of the evolution of rationality criteria and demonstrating how the mechanisms of perception allow us to select theories according to the degree of compliance with these criteria.

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