The Philosophy of Mathematics Education
remaining controversial. Social constructivism is an attempt to extend Lakatos’
sceptical approach systematically to a philosophy of mathematics.
However, social constructivism does not entail the fullest form of scepticism, such
as cartesian doubt. For it accepts the existence of the physical world (whilst denying
certain knowledge of it) and accepts the existence of language and the social group.
Both the physical and the social worlds play an essential part in the social constructivist
epistemology. As a commentator on Wittgenstein says: ‘Doubt presupposes mastery of
a language-game.’ Kenny (1973, page 206) Social constructivism is sceptical about the
possibility of any certain knowledge, particularly in mathematics, but it is not sceptical
about the necessary pre-conditions for knowledge.