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A centuries -old debate…. W hat really matters in science ? What counts as science? Leading to factions: Materialism, Idealism, Rationalism, Empiricism, Monism, Dualism, Modernism, Positivism, Pragmatism, Radical Empiricism, Phenomenolgy. Philosophical Differences.
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A centuries-old debate… • What really matters in science? What counts as science? • Leading to factions: • Materialism, Idealism, Rationalism, Empiricism, Monism, Dualism, Modernism, Positivism, Pragmatism, Radical Empiricism, Phenomenolgy
Philosophical Differences Are you a phenomenologist or a positivist/modernist? A rationalist or an empiricist? All of the above? Some of the above?
Joseph Goguen “Formalization is the process of making information drier, i.e., less situated, by using a more explicit and precise metalanguage for expressing information.”
Differences in Approach • High in formality/”dry” vs • Less formality/”wet” • Bottom-Up/Data-Driven vs • Top-Down/Logic-Driven
Positivism Phenomenology What matters is what we experience. Our interpretation of experience depends on context. Our interpretation of experience is socially constructed. Find the emergent, existing structure. To understand, study the “whole”. Do not reduce; to do so eliminates relationships. Do not simplify; to do so changes what you’re studying. Encourages the use of descriptive and loosely structured research methods In a given culture, fish may be seen as having udders. Fish are seen with udders because in this society it is so common for animals to have udders that an udder is assumed. Informants… • What matters is ground truth. • Ground truth is obscured by cultural and social frameworks. • Impose structure. • To understand, study the “parts”. • To understand, reduce and simplify. • Encourages the use of quantitative, structured research methods. • Fish do not have udders. • The fish comprehended 77% of what the frog said.
Example: Materialism, Positivism “In principle, any type of benefit is adequate to conduct a cost-benefit analysis, provided it is quantifiable.” - Sagar & Grier, 2005, p. 5
ve•rid•i•cal (vəˈrɪdɪkəl) also ve•rid′ic, adj.1. truthful; veracious.2. corresponding to facts; actual; genuine. • Adj. 1. veridical - coinciding with reality (the freedictionary.com) “veridical perception”, “veridical memory” Aka Ground truth, Naked experience