A guide to ontology, epistemology, and philosophical ...

Stemming from ontology (what exists for people to know about) and epistemology (how knowledge is created and what is possible to know) are ... Skiptocontent IntegrationandImplementationInsights Menu Menu ByKatieMoonandDeborahBlackman KatieMoon(biography) Howcanunderstandingphilosophyimproveourresearch?Howcananunderstandingofwhatframesourresearchinfluenceourchoices?Doresearchers’personalthoughtsandbeliefsshaperesearchdesign,outcomesandinterpretation? Thesequestionsareallimportantforsocialscienceresearch.Herewepresentaphilosophicalguideforscientiststoassistintheproductionofeffectivesocialscience(adaptedfromMoonandBlackman,2014). DeborahBlackman(biography) Understandingphilosophyisimportantbecausesocialscienceresearchcanonlybemeaningfullyinterpretedwhenthereisclarityaboutthedecisionsthatweretakenthataffecttheresearchoutcomes.Someofthesedecisionsarebased,notalwaysknowingly,onsomekeyphilosophicalprinciples,asoutlinedinthefigurebelow. Philosophyprovidesthegeneralprinciplesoftheoreticalthinking,amethodofcognition,perspectiveandself-awareness,allofwhichareusedtoobtainknowledgeofrealityandtodesign,conduct,analyseandinterpretresearchanditsoutcomes.Thefigurebelowshowsthreemainbranchesofphilosophythatareimportantinthesciencesandservestoillustratethedifferencesbetweenthem. Socialscienceresearchguideconsistingofontology,epistemology,andphilosophicalperspectives.Whenreadfromlefttoright,elementstakeonamoremultidimensionalnature(eg.,epistemology:objectivismtosubjectivism).Theelementswithineachbrancharepositionedaccordingtotheircongruencewithelementsfromotherbranchessowhenreadfromtoptobottom(orbottomtotop),elementsfromonebranchalignwithelementsfromanother(eg.,criticalrealistontology,constructionistepistemology,andinterpretivistphilosophicalperspectives).Subcategoriesofelements(ie.,3.5a–cand3.6a–c)aretobeinterpretedaspositionedundertheparentcategory(ie.,3.5interpretivismand3.6criticaltheory). (Source:MoonandBlackman2014) Ontology Thefirstbranchisontology,orthe‘studyofbeing’,whichisconcernedwithwhatactuallyexistsintheworldaboutwhichhumanscanacquireknowledge.Ontologyhelpsresearchersrecognizehowcertaintheycanbeaboutthenatureandexistenceofobjectstheyareresearching.Forinstance,what‘truthclaims’canaresearchermakeaboutreality?Whodecidesthelegitimacyofwhatis‘real’?Howdoresearchersdealwithdifferentandconflictingideasofreality? Toillustrate,realistontologyrelatestotheexistenceofonesinglerealitywhichcanbestudied,understoodandexperiencedasa‘truth’;arealworldexistsindependentofhumanexperience.Meanwhile,relativistontologyisbasedonthephilosophythatrealityisconstructedwithinthehumanmind,suchthatnoone‘true’realityexists.Instead,realityis‘relative’accordingtohowindividualsexperienceitatanygiventimeandplace. Epistemology Thesecondbranchisepistemology,the‘studyofknowledge’.Epistemologyisconcernedwithallaspectsofthevalidity,scopeandmethodsofacquiringknowledge,suchasa)whatconstitutesaknowledgeclaim;b)howcanknowledgebeacquiredorproduced;andc)howtheextentofitstransferabilitycanbeassessed.Epistemologyisimportantbecauseitinfluenceshowresearchersframetheirresearchintheirattemptstodiscoverknowledge. Bylookingattherelationshipbetweenasubjectandanobjectwecanexploretheideaofepistemologyandhowitinfluencesresearchdesign.Objectivistepistemologyassumesthatrealityexistsoutside,orindependently,oftheindividualmind.Objectivistresearchisusefulinprovidingreliability(consistencyofresultsobtained)andexternalvalidity(applicabilityoftheresultstoothercontexts). Constructionistepistemologyrejectstheideathatobjective‘truth’existsandiswaitingtobediscovered.Instead,‘truth’,ormeaning,arisesinandoutofourengagementwiththerealitiesinourworld.Thatis,a‘realworld’doesnotpreexistindependentlyofhumanactivityorsymboliclanguage.Thevalueofconstructionistresearchisingeneratingcontextualunderstandingsofadefinedtopicorproblem. Subjectivistepistemologyrelatestotheideathatrealitycanbeexpressedinarangeofsymbolandlanguagesystems,andisstretchedandshapedtofitthepurposesofindividualssuchthatpeopleimposemeaningontheworldandinterpretitinawaythatmakessensetothem.Forexample,ascubadivermightinterpretashadowinthewateraccordingtowhethertheywerealertedtoasharkinthearea(theshark),waitingforaboat(theboat),orexpectingachangeintheweather(clouds).Thevalueofsubjectivistresearchisinrevealinghowanindividual’sexperienceshapestheirperceptionoftheworld. Philosophicalperspectives Stemmingfromontology(whatexistsforpeopletoknowabout)andepistemology(howknowledgeiscreatedandwhatispossibletoknow)arephilosophicalperspectives,asystemofgeneralizedviewsoftheworld,whichformbeliefsthatguideaction. Philosophicalperspectivesareimportantbecause,whenmadeexplicit,theyrevealtheassumptionsthatresearchersaremakingabouttheirresearch,leadingtochoicesthatareappliedtothepurpose,design,methodologyandmethodsoftheresearch,aswellastodataanalysisandinterpretation.Atthemostbasiclevel,themerechoiceofwhattostudyinthesciencesimposesvaluesonone’ssubject. Conclusion Understandingthephilosophicalbasisofscienceiscriticalinensuringthatresearchoutcomesareappropriatelyandmeaningfullyinterpreted.Withanincreaseininterdisciplinaryresearch,anexaminationofthepointsofdifferenceandintersectionbetweenthephilosophicalapproachescangeneratecriticalreflectionanddebateaboutwhatwecanknow,whatwecanlearnandhowthisknowledgecanaffecttheconductofscienceandtheconsequentdecisionsandactions. Howdoesyourphilosophicalstandpointaffectyourresearch?Whatareyourexperiencesofclashingphilosophicalperspectivesininterdisciplinaryresearch?Howdidyoubecomeawareofthemandresolvethem?Doyouthinkthatresearchersneedtorecognizedifferentphilosophiesininterdisciplinaryresearchteams? Tofindoutmore: Moon,K.,andBlackman,D.(2014).AGuidetoUnderstandingSocialScienceResearchforNaturalScientists.ConservationBiology,28:1167-1177.Online: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.12326/full Biography:KatieMoonisaPostDoctoralResearchFellowattheUniversityofNewSouthWales,Canberra.SheisalsoanadjunctattheInstituteforAppliedEcologyattheUniversityofCanberra.Shehasworkedintheenvironmentalpolicyarenafor17yearswithinAustraliaandEurope,ingovernment,theprivatesectorandacademia.Herresearchfocusesonhowtherightpolicyinstrumentscanbepairedtotherightpeople;theroleofevidenceinpolicydevelopmentandimplementation;andhowtoincreasepolicyimplementationsuccess. Biography:DeborahBlackmanisaProfessorinPublicSectorManagementStrategyandDeputyDirectorofthePublicServiceResearchGroupattheUniversityofNewSouthWales,Canberra.Sheresearchesknowledgetransferinarangeofapplied,realworldcontexts.Thecommonthemeofherworkiscreatingneworganisationalconversationsinordertoimproveorganisationaleffectiveness.ThishasincludedstrengtheningtheperformancemanagementframeworkintheAustralianPublicService;theroleofsocialcapitalinlong-termdisasterrecovery;anddevelopinganewdiagnosticmodeltosupporteffectivejoined-upworkinginwholeofgovernmentinitiatives. Relatedposts: Aguideforinterdisciplinaryresearchers:AddingaxiologyalongsideontologyandepistemologybyPeterDeane https://i2insights.org/2018/05/22/axiology-and-interdisciplinarity/ EpistemologicalobstaclestointerdisciplinaryresearchbyEvelynBrister https://i2insights.org/2017/10/31/epistemology-and-interdisciplinarity/ Transformingtransdisciplinarity:Interweavingthephilosophicalwiththepragmatictomovebeyondeither/orthinkingbyKatieRossandCynthiaMitchell https://i2insights.org/2018/11/13/transdisciplinarity-and-either-or-thinking/ Whatistheroleoftheoryintransdisciplinaryresearch?by WorkshopGrouponTheoryat2015BaselInternationalTransdisciplinaryConference http://i2insights.org/2016/02/17/role-of-theory-in-transdisciplinary-research/   Sharethis:TwitterLinkedInFacebookPrintEmailLikethis:LikeLoading... 12thoughtson“Aguidetoontology,epistemology,andphilosophicalperspectivesforinterdisciplinaryresearchers” Pingback:creativedrift:onbeingnatural-bob'sthoughts,images,feelings Thetablesummaryisadmirable.Allyourwriteisverynice Reply Pingback:Aguidetoontology,epistemology,andphilosophicalperspectivesforinterdisciplinaryresearchers|LearningResearchMethods Pingback:Week2–OntologyandEpistemology–ResearchMethods Greatpost!Ireallylikethetableandfinditaveryhelpfulillustration! Reply HiKate,thankyouverymuchforhelpingout.Iunderstandthesubjectmattermorenowthanbefore Olushola Reply Pingback:RES701,Week2,Ontology&Epistemology–RES701ResearchMethods Thankssomuchforthedebateanddiscussionaroundtheblogpost.Machielisrightinpointingoutthattheblogpost(andthearticleitisbasedon)wasintendedasaconversationpiece,andwe’repleasedthatausefulconversationistakingplace.Theresourcesandlinksareveryhelpful,philosophyisafascinatingdisciplineandtheopportunitytolearnandexpandourthinkingisendless. Wetriedtomakeitclearinthearticletheblogpostisbasedonthatwewantedtobringattentiontophilosophy;itwasobviouslyimpossibletodothedisciplineofphilosophyanyrealjusticewithin6,000words.Wewantedtostartaconversation:“Thepurposeoftheguideistoopenthedoortosocialscienceresearchandthusdemonstratethatscientistscanbringdifferentandlegitimateprinciples,assumptions,andinterpretationstotheirresearch.” AsJessicaandMelissapointout,itcanbechallengingtooffersocialresearchtoanaturalsciencecommunitythattypicallyadoptsanarrowphilosophicalposition(e.g.objectivist).Thepaperwasintendedtoencouragenaturalscientiststoconsideralternativewaysofgeneratingknowledge,particularlyaboutthehuman,asopposedtonatural,world. Weacceptunequivocallythattheframeworkdoesnotgetclosetoaccommodatingthedepthanddiversityofphilosophy.Adam,weagreethattheapproachwehavetakenmaynotresonatewithsomephilosophers,butwewantedtocommunicatewithaparticularaudience(conservationscientists)andsowedefinedontologiesandepistemologies(andpositedthemrelativetooneanother)thataremostcommonlyobservedwithinthisdisciplineandthatmightbebestunderstoodbytheaudience.Wetriedtoidentifypointsofdifferencebetweenontologies,epistemologiesandphilosophicalperspectivesinanattempttoexplainhowtheycaninfluenceresearchdesign.Inthearticle,weuseacaseofdeforestationinrainforeststodemonstratehowdifferentpositionscaninfluencethenatureoftheresearchquestionsandoutcomes,includingtheassumptionsthatwillbemade. Wedidexplainintheintroductiontoourpaperthelimitationsofourapproach:“Themultifacetednatureandinterpretationofeachoftheconceptswepresentinourguidemeanstheycanbecombinedinadiversityofways(seealsoLincoln&Guba2000;Schwandt2000;Evelyetal.2008;H¨oijer2008;Cunliffe2011;Tang2011).Therefore,ourguiderepresentsjustoneexampleofhowtheelements(i.e.,differentpositionswithinthemainbranchesofphilosophy)ofsocialresearchcanapplyspecificallytoconservationscience.Werecognizethatbydistillinganddefiningtheelementsinasimplifiedwaywehavenecessarilyconstrainedargumentanddebatesurroundingeachelement.Furthermore,theguidehadtohavesomestructure.Informingthisstructure,wedonotsuggestthatresearchersmustconsiderfirsttheirontologicalandthentheirepistemologicalpositionandsoon;theymaywellbeginbyexploringtheirphilosophicalperspective.” ThispointcomesbacktoBruce’scomment,aboutpragmaticapproachestoresearch.Oftenresearcherspickandchoosebetweenarangeofoptionsthatwillallowthemtodefineandanswertheirresearchquestionsinawaythatmakesmostsensetothem.Wemakethispointinthepaper:“Eachperspectiveischaracterizedbyanoftenwiderangingpluralism,whichreflectsthecomplexevolutionofphilosophyandthevariedcontributionsofphilosophersthroughtime(Crotty1998).Allontologies,epistemologies,andphilosophicalperspectivesarecharacterizedbythispluralism,includingtheprevailing(post)positivistapproachofthenaturalsciences.Itiscommonformorethanonephilosophicalperspectivetoresonatewithresearchersandforresearcherstochangetheirperspective(andthusepistemologicalandontologicalpositions)towardtheirresearchovertime(Moses&Knutsen2012).Thus,scientistsdonotnecessarilycommittoonephilosophicalperspectiveandallassociatedcharacteristics(Bietsa2010).” Wetriedtoanticipateconcernsthatscholarsofphilosophymighthavewithourratherreductionistapproach,butfeltthatthemoreimportantcontributiontomakewastobringattentiontoalternativeworldviews,andhighlighttheimportanceofphilosophyingeneratinganytypeofknowledge. Withrespecttothecharacterizationofepistemologies,weadoptedacontinuumprovidedbyCrotty(1998)thatfocusesontherelationshipbetweenthesubjectandtheobject.Again,thischoicewasmadeonthebasisofouraudience,todemonstratethatdifferenttypesofrelationshipcanexistbetweensubjectandobject Reply ThisblogposthasgeneratedaninterestingdiscussionontheAssociationforInterdisciplinaryStudieslistserv([email protected]).Selectedexcerptsbelow. AdamPotthast:Ihatetomakeoneofmyfirstpoststothislistcriticalwithoutthetimetocorrectsomeoftheerrors,butIdon’tthinkyou’dseemanyphilosophersagreeingwiththecharacterizationsofphilosophicalviewsinthispost.Theinfographicstronglymischaracterizesalotofthesepositions,andthesectiononepistemologydoesn’tmapontoanyofthestandardunderstandingsofepistemologyinthedisciplineofphilosophy.I’dcautionagainstthinkingofitasareliablesourcetothephilosophybehindscience. GabrieleBammer:ThanksAdamforraisingthealarm.Itwouldbegreatifyouand/orotherswhohaveproblemswiththispostwouldspelloutyourcriticisms–notonlyviathislistserv,but(moreimportantlyfrommyperspective)inacommentontheblogitself.Non-philosophersarehungryforaversionofepistemology,ontologyetcthattheycanunderstandanduseandthisblogpost(andthepaperitisbasedon)addressthisneed.Ifitisseriouslymisleadingthough,that’sobviouslyaproblem.It’simportantthatthisispointedoutandthatbetteralternativesareoffered.Iappreciatethattimeisanissueforeveryone–anythingyoucandowillbeappreciated. StuartHenry:Wellagoodstart,sowedon’treinventthewheelagainisJamesWelch’sarticle:https://oakland.edu/Assets/upload/docs/AIS/Issues-in-Interdisciplinary-Studies/2009-Volume-27/05_Vol_27_pp_35_69_Interdisciplinarity_and_the_History_of_Western_Epistemology_(James_Welch_IV).pdf GabrieleBammer:ThanksStuart,Imaybemissingsomething,butitseemstomethatWelch’sarticlecoversdifferentterrain,beingmoreaboutthephilosophyunderpinninginterdisciplinarity.WhatMoonandBlackmanprovideisaquickguidetounderstandingpeople’sdifferentphilosophicalpositions,sothatifyouareworkinginateam,forexample,youcanbetterunderstandwhysomeoneseestheworlddifferently.TheToolboxdevelopedbyEigenbrode,O’Rourkeandothersprovidesapracticalwayofuncoveringthesedifferences. JulieThompsonKlein:GoodpointGabrieleaboutthevalueoftheToolbox,thoughpeoplestillneedthekindofbackgroundyou’reaimingtoprovide. MachielKeestra:AlthoughIagreethattheblogpostshouldperhapsnotsomuchbetakentoofferacurrentrepresentationofthemainpositionsinphilosophyofscienceorabouttheinterconnectionsbetweenepistemologicalandontologicalpositions,Ithinkitdoesanicejobinofferingaconversationpiece:whatarerelevantpositionsandoptionsthatpeoplemight-implicitly–takeandhowaretheydifferentfromotherpositions.Giventhemodestambitionsoftheauthors,Ithinkthatisafairresult. InadditiontotheinterestingapproachofferedbytheToolboxProject,analternativeispresentedinJanSchmidt’sTowardsaphilosophyofinterdisciplinarity:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10202-007-0037-8 InourIntroductiontointerdisciplinaryresearch,I’veinsertedanall-toobriefphilosophyofsciencewhichshouldhelptoraisesomeunderstandingofthisdifficultissueaswell:https://www.academia.edu/22420234/An_Introduction_to_Interdisciplinary_Research._Theory_and_Practice Reply Lovelywork!Thankyou.Iamalsoinitiallytrainedasanaturalscientist,andnowconsidermyselfa‘social-ecologicalresearcher’andhavehadtodoalotoflearningaboutontologies,epistemologiesetc.IthinkImightusethispaperasadiscussionpaperinourdepartmentasIthinkitiscrucialforinterdisciplinarianstounderstandtheseissues. Reply KiaoraKatieandDebbie,greatpost!Iamabiophysicalscientistwhohascometosocialscienceandoneofthestrugglesisbeingabletoplacethenewandrelevantconceptsaboutquestionsthatwedon’tnecessarilyaskasbiophysicalscientists.Yourtableisareallyusefulaidtothis–Iimmediatelysentittoallmycolleagues!ItalsomakesitclearertomehowIcanusetheconceptoftriangulationthatBrucealludedtoinhisreply.Sothankyouforexplainingsoconcisely.Thanks,Melissa Reply HiKatieandDeborah, Thankyouforthatdiscussion.Ithinkthatyouhavecreatedareallyusefultableshowingthephilosophicalcontinuums/polarities,howthevariousontologicalandepistemologicalpositionsrelatetoeachother,andtheimportanceforresearcherstobeawareofthem.Inmyownresearchpractice,Iamnotcommittedtoanyoneparticularphilosophicaltheoryorperspective.Theyallappeartobetruetosomedegree,thatis,insomeconceivablecontext–eventhoughsomeoftheconceptsandphilosophicalpositionsappear,intheextremeformoftheirstatement,tobecontradictory,thatis,ifoneendofacontinuum/polarityistruethenbyimplicationitseemstheothermustbefalse–thuscreatingaquandaryofresearchperspective.Hencetheattraction,forme,oftheapplicationofamultiplicityofmethods,approachesandphilosophicalperspectives–asandwhentheyseemabletogiveontologicalorepistemologicalinsight–withtriangulationbetweentheresultsofthedisparateapproachesasthetemporaryarbiterofanevolvingmeaningandtruth.Thismightbeconsideredapragmatic,perhapsevenanopportunistic,approachtoconductingscience.However,astheoldadagegoes“theproofisinthepudding”–howusefulistheknowledgeobtained? cheers Bruce Reply LeaveaReply Cancelreply ThissiteusesAkismettoreducespam.Learnhowyourcommentdataisprocessed. 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