Encyclopaedic models in the Kuyperian tradition (part 1: the “fathers”)

Abstract

Hierdie is die eerste artikel in ? reeks van drie wat die modelle vir weten skapsbeoefening, soos voorgehou in die Kuyperiaanse tradisie, in historiese volgorde verken. Die rol van wetenskaplike en voorwetenskaplike raamwerke (bv. wêreldbeskouings, filosofie), die verhoudings tussen wetenskappe (bv. teologie en filosofie) en ander faktore word in ? aantal verskillende modelle ondersoek en geëvalueer. Hierdie artikel gee aandag aan die periode van die “vaders” van die Kuyperiaanse tradisie van wetenskapsbeoefening. Meer spesifiek, sal die werk van Dooyeweerd, Vollenhoven, Stoker en Van Til ondersoek word ten einde sterk en swak punte te iden ti fiseer. My hipotese is dat gedurende hierdie periode, die basiese model le voorgestel is, probleme geïdentifiseer is en pogings gemaak is om beter verduidelikings te gee van die komplekse en veel vuldige verhoudings en invloede tussen raamwerke. Hierdie po gings was nie altyd suksesvol nie, tog is daar baie gevalle waar daar heen gewys word na ver langbare verbeterings van die Kuyperiaanse model. Hierdie artikel vorm die basis vir ? bespreking van meer resente modelle en vir ? sistematiese konklusie in twee verdere bydraes wat hierop volg.

This is the first of a series of three articles exploring in historical order the encyclopaedic models presented in the Kuyperian tradition of scholarship. The role of scientific and pre-scientific frameworks (e.g. world-views, philosophy), the relationships between sciences (e.g. theology and philosophy) and other issues are explored and evaluated in several different models. This article deals with the period of the “fathers” of Kuyperian scholarship. In particular the works of Dooyeweerd, Vollenhoven, Stoker and Van Til will be examined to identify their strong and weak points. My thesis is that, during the period in question, the basic models were proposed, certain pro blems were identified and attempts were made at providing better accounts of the complex and multiplerelationships and influences among frameworks. These attempts were not always successful, yet in many cases they point towards desirable improvements of the Kuyperian model. This article will lay a basis for the discussion of more recent models and for a systematic conclusion in two more contributions to follow.