A Sad Optimistic View on Psychological Science: What My Colleagues Think of Psychological Knowledge

Abstract

The article sums up the discussion. The author emphasises that even those participants, who are willing to sign the manifesto in question, allow more or less explicit empiricist claims. Psychologists face a choice: either to be a happy epistemological pessimist satisfied with the status quo (that is, accepting that psychology is an odd science lacking unity) or to remain optimistic hoping for the better (and accepting that psychology is in yet another crisis). Preferring the former position ‑ epistemological optimism – the author invites his colleagues to continue with the manifesto.