Epistemology - Knowledge Dec 6 PDF

Epistemology- the knowledge Dec.6 The knower, the known and the process of knowing. How do we know what we know? It depends on the knower, the known and the relationship. Epistemology in different disciplines: a. Geography – focus on land and area b. Economics – focus on supply and dem...

Epistemology- the knowledge Dec.6 The knower, the known and the process of knowing. How do we know what we know? It depends on the knower, the known and the relationship. Epistemology in different disciplines: a. Geography – focus on land and area b. Economics – focus on supply and demand c. Psychology – focus on Behavioral and cognitive influences of knowing d. Political science – compare differences in how knowledge used by different governmental systems Four common orientations of epistemology: A. Positivist B. Critical realist C. Standpoint D. Radical social constructionist Positivist: (most common approach) What they assume? Natural laws and regularities govern the world Truth exists and can be discovered by systematic observation Replicability is key component What is their objective?  Good science is value-free o Errors by observer’s personality and feeling o Scientific methods minimize personal value Relationship between knower and the known: Completely separate the knower and the known Features of the knower should not influence their process of knowing o Identity o Experience o Interests All knowers see the known the same o Statistical analysis of data should be same Critical realism approach: What do they assume? The world is not what we think (it is independent of our thinking) The world functions in a pattern Scientific rationality is imperfect and limited (but the best option we have) World is complex and changing (psychological phenomena have multiple causes) Knowledge generation = ongoing collaborative project Scientific understanding improve over time What is the relationship between the knower and the known? The knower: culture and science limit and shape the knower The known: complex and changing (never be more than an accurate approximation of reality The process of knowing: partial, local and historically specific Standpoint approach: What they assume? Knowing happens from somewhere  o History, culture, interests and physical location Our perspectives shaped by influencers o Social locations (class, race, gender..) o Daily experience o Being privileged Academic research privileges some standpoints over others Some marginalized groups are routinely the object of research (rarely the observer) What is the relationship between the knower and the known? The knower: every knower has a particular vantage point The known: differs depending on the individual o Who is doing o When doing o How doing The process of knowing: partial, local and historically specific **same as critical realism Radical social constructionism: What they assume? Natural laws do not exist for the social sciences The social world is produced by institutions and then claimed to be studied Individuals and groups are created by forming those ideas o Social scientific classification o Social scientific labelling o Social scientific diagnosing o Social scientific treating Ex: homosexuality is socially constructed by institutional experts and researchers. How each institution would take an approach on this? a. Moral issue- a sin, religion and study of theology b. Crime – legal systems, deviance  c. Illness – medical system, psychological disorder d. Human rights- government and legal systems, sexualities scholarship e. Biological- natural sciences (ex: search for a gay gene) What is the relationship between the knower and the known? The knower: produce the known through the process of knowing Everything we know is a product of our perception Epistemology and methodology: What does your epistemological position say about conducting research? What is important to study What is a valid, useful research question What method is most effective for answering a question What group of people I want to give voice to How should I present data