1. Johan Mouton © February 2006

2. Comparing science and ordinary knowledge Ordinary KnowledgeScientific Knowledge Personal authorityCollective, accumulated experience of the scientific community Unsystematic/ haphazard Systematic and methodical inquiry Secondary sourcesPrimary evidence Science: The skeptical attitude

3. The epistemic imperative  Regulative ideal – truthful knowledge (Episteme vs doxa)  The imperative – morally binding character / evidence in the way in which science is organised  Truth a representation and construction  “Levels” of truth: Truth as plausible explanation / truth as goodness of fit models / truth as accurate descriptions  Truth as an absolute notion vs validity as a probabilistic notion: degrees of validity / validity as the “best approximation of the truth”  Ontological, Sociological and methodological constraints on the attainment of truthful knowledge

4. The notion of rationality  Science is about making knowledge claims  Rationality = providing good reasons for accepting or rejecting evidence in support of knowledge claims  Rationality is NOT about providing CONCLUSIVE evidence  Rational assessments of knowledge claims is based on “objective evidence”

5. The notion of objectivity  What kind of evidence do we require to make rational/reasonable judgements about the available evidence?  Different notions of “ objectivity ” : positivist vs realist notions  Positivism: objective as a property of the researcher (Research – person)  Realism: objective as a property of the research process /procedures (process)

6. Truth, rationality and objectivity Scientific knowledge consists of statements (knowledge claims) which are better or worse approximations of social reality (MORE OR LESS TRUTHFUL); which are accepted by the scientific community after having scrutinized these (RATINALITY) on the basis of the best available evidence obtained through the application of rigorous methods and techniques (OBJECTIVITY)

7. Knowledge interests  The distinction between (social) scientific and ordinary knowledge  Corrollary: Knowledge is produced within different “worlds” and these different forms of knowledge are driven by different “knowledge interests” ……………..The 3-worlds framework

8. The three world’s framework and different forms of knowledge  World 1: World of everyday life The world of ordinary people Consists of multiple worlds Knowledge – pragmatic interest in coping  World 2: World of science The world of science and scientific research The epistemic imperative – the search for truthful knowledge  World 3: World of meta-science Reflections on the nature of science Critical interest in improving scientific practice

9. Positivism WORLD 3: WORLD OF METASCIENCE Realism Critical theory KuhnPost-modernism Phenomenology WORLD 2: WORLD OF SCIENCE WORLD 1: EVERYDAY LIFE Lay theories/ first-order constructs/ indigenous and local knowledges Grand theories (Functionalism / Neo-Marxism Systems theory / Semiotics/Structuralism) Middle level theories/ models (Theories of innovation/ Organisational development) Methodological Paradigms Quantitative research Qualitative research Participatory action research THE RESEARCH PROCESS

10. The multi-dimensionality of scientific research Scientist/ Researcher (Sociological) Valid/ Truthful knowledge (Epistemological) Research process: Design and methodology Phenomenon/ Object In World 1 (Ontological

11. Epistemological dimension  The search for truthful/credible knowledge  A regulative ideal that is constrained by: Sociological factors Ontological factors Methodological factors  “ Validity ” as the “ best approximation to the truth ”

12. Methodological Dimension  The derivation: meta + hodos  Levels of methodological dimension Methodological paradigms Methods Techniques and procedures  The qualitative/quantitative debate

13. Sociological Dimension  Scientific communities/invisible colleges/paradigms/epistemic cultures Stratification (gender/race/age) Accumulative advantage (Matthew effect)  Social rules and conventions/peer review/quality control  Self-organizing system: self-correcting system/ The old contract (Republic of science ideal) The new contract (Accountability)

14. Ontological Dimension  Different ontological positions: realism vs constructivism  The “ furniture of the social world ” Individuals Actions and events Interviews Organizations and institutions Collectives Social and cultural objects