Epistemology and Social Science Social sciences, as all sciences, have their own epistemology, methodology and philosophy. Epistemology is the study of the foundations of knowledge and philosophy is the theoretical background of each science. There have been many criticisms about the substance of the social sciences especially from the positivists. They try all the time to convince everybody that a science which has no rules and natural laws can not be called ‘science’. Epistemology and
Defending Longino's Social Epistemology (1) ABSTRACT: Though many agree that we need to account for the role that social factors play in inquiry, developing a viable social epistemology has proved to be a difficult task. According to Longino, it is the processes that make inquiry possible that are aptly described as social, for they require a number of people to sustain them. These processes not only facilitate inquiry, but also ensure that the results of inquiry are more than mere subjective
Epistemology is commonly known as theory of knowledge. It is a discussion about how we get knowledge. Epistemology refers to the ways of knowing that form systems of social thought (Andersen, 1993). The idea about this term emphasizes that knowledge is socially constructed and that kind of thinking are embedded in a variety of assumption either implicit or explicit that guide their shape and form. Meanwhile, feminist epistemology recognized a woman’s lived as legitimate sources of knowledge. Feminist
descriptive analysis. One of the most advanced research paradigm used today in conducting research starts with Ontology, epistemology, Methodology, methods and technics and structure (Easter... ... middle of paper ... ...2005), ‘Towards an epistemology of collective action: management research as a responsive and actionable discipline’, European Management Review, 2(1), pp. 36-47, Social Sciences Citation Index, EBSCOhost, (Accessed: 18 January 2014). Leppala, SS. (2012), ‘An Epistemological Perspective
knows that they know nothing.”-Socrates Epistemology, simply put is the study of knowledge. It looks at how we know, what we know, and do we really know anything at all? Knowledge is the foundation of any sound argument, and is used to get at the “truth” of things. In this paper, I will discuss epistemology and further explain it by relating it to something that I use to believe to be true that I no longer do. As defined in the Oxford Dictionary, epistemology is “The theory of knowledge, especially
The concept of logical positivism, also known as logical empiricism or simply positivism, is a vital one in the realm of the social sciences, having a profusion of influence. Virtually beginning in the 1920s, logical positivism reached a peak around the time of the 1950s and 1960s. The notion revolves around the idea that scientific knowledge is the only form of valid and factual knowledge and focuses on the importance of one’s own phenomena experiences (Stiles, 2017). Although influential, there
Linda Alcoff utilizes “Epistemologies of Ignorance: Three Types,” enhances previous work already performed within feminist epistemology and elaborate a typology of ignorance’s. She proposes that there are three types of epistemologies of ignorance’s, the situation of knowers, the perception of viewpoint epistemology, and the third is a universal type. Knowledge and expertise that is known or unknown is utilized to provide a distinction between the powerful and the powerless. Alcoff also claims
pursue for my thesis is to refute the Local Reductionist Claim made by Elizabeth Fricker when evaluating how social identity, specifically how being a member of a minority group, affects credibility of testimony. In doing so, I will expand upon Linda Alcoff’s focus on why an epistemic assessment of what constitutes testimonial knowledge in forming beliefs is important to look at in a social context. I will argue against Fricker’s claim that the hearer should hold all the power to decide whether the
What is Virtue Epistemology? This paper functions as a brief introduction to virtue epistemology, a topic that has enjoyed a recent gain in popularity among analytic philosophers. Here I maintain that the defining feature of virtue epistemology is its focus on the intellectual virtues and vices rather than the evaluation of belief. What constitutes such a focus? And, what are the intellectual virtues? In the first section, I enumerate five different ways in which virtue epistemologists might focus
3.1.3.2 Ontology and Epistemology The basic system of ontological, epistemological, axiological, and methodological assumptions with which researchers approach the study reflects by (Guba and Lincoln, 1994, Creswell, 1998, Creswell, Hanson, Clark Plano and Morales, 2007, Patton, 2002, Savage, 2006, Vasilachis de Gialdino, 1992). It is considered that most of the questions are social sciences pose has different answers depending on paradigm. Epistemology raises many questions as follows: 1) How reality
Standpoint epistemology is a branch within feminist epistemology that Godfrey Smith labels “radical feminist epistemology”. Standpoint epistemology concerns itself with refuting the idea that “situatedness” is a hindrance to science. Instead, this branch celebrates situatedness due to the existence of “facts that can only be [that are] visible from a special point of view, the point of view of people who have been oppressed or marginalized by society” (Godfrey-Smith, 142). As a result “science will
certainty as it is ordinarily used (something he says is important to his argument), and also that he has mischaracterized one of the sources he used to defend this definition. I will then present W.V.O. Quine’s psychologically based epistemology as presented in “Epistemology Naturalized” and “Two Dogmas of Empiricism”, and argue that this theory provides a more adequate account of the way knowledge and certainty are understood. I will also attempt to address the objections to Quine’s theory raised by
components of the social world. (dissertation.lib, 2015) Interpretivism (http://www.dissertation.lib-ebook.com/d-history/2790729-1-chapter-three-research-methodology-introduction-the-way-which.php)
only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration. Defined narrowly, epistemology is the study of knowledge and justified belief. As the study of knowledge, epistemology is concerned with the following questions: What are the necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge? What are its sources? What is its structure, and what are its limits ("Epistemology ")? Epistemic relativism is when the facts used to establish the truth or falsehood of any statement are
focus on epistemology. Specifically it will be my intention to distinguish in some of the topical literature if the questions raised are rightly epistemological yet or in need of some clarification. I accept Professor Caplan's stipulative definition that states that a field "must be well-integrated with other cognate inquiries and disciplines, have an established canon of key books, textbooks, anthologies and articles, and a set of distinctive and defining problems" (67). Epistemology meets all
dimensions: ontology and epistemology (Hopper and Powell, 1985, p.431). Burrell and Morgan’s (1979) Classification Matrix for the Analysis of Social Theory is constructed by two separate dimensions that are based upon assumptions of the nature of society and of social science. Within this framework, there are four paradigms; ontology, epistemology, human nature and methodology. For the purpose of this research project, the two paradigms which are of concern are ontology and epistemology. Ontology is concerned
Mixed method methodology (MMM) has become an increasingly accepted approach of conducting social research (Bryman, 2012) in the last decade. This is as a result of today’s world becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, dynamic and complex, therefore a methods that will enhance the research world to provide a superior research for interdisciplinary world such as MMM should be appreciated (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). Though MMM has been applauded as research methodology offering great promise
They both serve to show that belief cannot come from any source that appeals to one’s feelings or purposes, experiences or impressions. Beliefs must arise from a non-personal means. Although this is a commonality between the two approaches in epistemology, they are greatly different arguments in their focuses. Pierce’s pragmatist approach surfaces along the lines of techniques people use to found their beliefs of reality, here assuming reality from the start, and using that as a foundation to delve
conversation between Victor and Walton. It is therefore surprising that the problem of epistemology, which is primarily motivated in the novel by its epistolary form, is still present in the film. Whereas Shelley's Frankenstein creates an aura of distrust regarding the veracity of the narratives originally offered through use of the epistolary form, Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein illustrates the dilemma of epistemology quite differently; by presenting a flashback in which characters could not possibly
into knowledge. However, sometimes the beliefs are actually assumption, so they may be wrong. Truth is the facts known from different sources. Something can be considered as knowledge, only if it is true. The word epistemology refers to studying the source of knowledge. The epistemology helps in understanding the process of development of knowledge, sources of knowledge and makes distinctions between belief and actual truth. I critically examined and analyzed the origin and the process of acquiring