Page 69 - Vinkler, Jonatan, Ana Beguš and Marcello Potocco. Eds. 2019. Ideology in the 20th Century: Studies of literary and social discourses and practices. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 69
Epistemology, Ideology, and Literature ... 69
Silko does not oppose the traditionalists and the traditional epistemolo-
gy, but the ideas Euro-Americans ascribe to Native epistemology, as it is
obvious in the chapter about the ‘International Holistic Healers Con-
vention’ (Silko 1992, 709). Second, it is not clear what kind of epistemol-
ogy Silko advocates, as it is obviously not the Western ‘analytical proto-
cols’. This problem calls for further discussion. Anyway, at this point it is
possible to say that Silko evokes specific indigenous knowledge systems—
or processes—that are compatible with diverse (post)modern phenome-
na like Marxism, ecology or hacker associations. However, the represent-
atives of these movements in the novel are not able to comprehend the
complexity of Native epistemologies, so they are just temporary allies in
the fight against colonialism.
Two decades later Castro-Gómez notes the danger of such partial al-
liances describing how traditional knowledges today “become susceptible
to appropriation by multinational corporations through patents” (Cas-
tro-Gómez, 294). Similar to the way early colonialism translated the Na-
tive relation to the earth into an ‘advanced’ knowledge system as land
ownership, postmodern colonialism translates indigenous knowledge
about nature into a system of profitable patents. This implies that the
‘wrong’ translation from one knowledge system to another is not a mis-
take but a basic element of exploitation. In the context of intracontinen-
tal colonialism the mistrustfulness of the Slovenians as described by Lin-
hart seems justified.
The problems of a ‘unilinear’ epistemological scale, its formation and
its consequences, are sufficiently explained, but the problem of the ‘zero
point epistemology’ calls for more attention. The observer and the point
of view are among the basic issues of the theories of radical constructiv-
ism.12 Best known for his research in this field is Heinz von Foerster, who
dealt with it in several texts. In Slovenia the cognitive scientist, Urban
12 In literary theory, radical constructivism is known as the basis of empirical study
of literature and media as introduced by Siegfried J. Schmidt (cf. Hauptmeier and
Schmidt 1985, 26–29). He understands literature and media as instruments for the
construction of reality (cf. Schmidt 1994b, 14). The empirical studies—i. e. “em-
pirische Plausibilisierung konstruktivistischen Denkens” (Sandbothe 2003, 9)—in-
vestigate the social and cultural conditions, that—together with biological and cog-
nitive conditions—determine the construction of reality (cf. Schmidt 1994b, 16).
In his later work, Schmidt pleads for a theory of stories and discourses (cf. Schmidt
2003, 143–152). This article goes back to the epistemological theories of radical con-
structivism, foregrounding the work of von Foerster, and in concentrating on stories
and discourses, comes close to Schmidt’s post—empirical thought.
Silko does not oppose the traditionalists and the traditional epistemolo-
gy, but the ideas Euro-Americans ascribe to Native epistemology, as it is
obvious in the chapter about the ‘International Holistic Healers Con-
vention’ (Silko 1992, 709). Second, it is not clear what kind of epistemol-
ogy Silko advocates, as it is obviously not the Western ‘analytical proto-
cols’. This problem calls for further discussion. Anyway, at this point it is
possible to say that Silko evokes specific indigenous knowledge systems—
or processes—that are compatible with diverse (post)modern phenome-
na like Marxism, ecology or hacker associations. However, the represent-
atives of these movements in the novel are not able to comprehend the
complexity of Native epistemologies, so they are just temporary allies in
the fight against colonialism.
Two decades later Castro-Gómez notes the danger of such partial al-
liances describing how traditional knowledges today “become susceptible
to appropriation by multinational corporations through patents” (Cas-
tro-Gómez, 294). Similar to the way early colonialism translated the Na-
tive relation to the earth into an ‘advanced’ knowledge system as land
ownership, postmodern colonialism translates indigenous knowledge
about nature into a system of profitable patents. This implies that the
‘wrong’ translation from one knowledge system to another is not a mis-
take but a basic element of exploitation. In the context of intracontinen-
tal colonialism the mistrustfulness of the Slovenians as described by Lin-
hart seems justified.
The problems of a ‘unilinear’ epistemological scale, its formation and
its consequences, are sufficiently explained, but the problem of the ‘zero
point epistemology’ calls for more attention. The observer and the point
of view are among the basic issues of the theories of radical constructiv-
ism.12 Best known for his research in this field is Heinz von Foerster, who
dealt with it in several texts. In Slovenia the cognitive scientist, Urban
12 In literary theory, radical constructivism is known as the basis of empirical study
of literature and media as introduced by Siegfried J. Schmidt (cf. Hauptmeier and
Schmidt 1985, 26–29). He understands literature and media as instruments for the
construction of reality (cf. Schmidt 1994b, 14). The empirical studies—i. e. “em-
pirische Plausibilisierung konstruktivistischen Denkens” (Sandbothe 2003, 9)—in-
vestigate the social and cultural conditions, that—together with biological and cog-
nitive conditions—determine the construction of reality (cf. Schmidt 1994b, 16).
In his later work, Schmidt pleads for a theory of stories and discourses (cf. Schmidt
2003, 143–152). This article goes back to the epistemological theories of radical con-
structivism, foregrounding the work of von Foerster, and in concentrating on stories
and discourses, comes close to Schmidt’s post—empirical thought.
