Understanding Knowledge: Distinguishing Ways of Knowing in Science
This session explores the various pathways to knowledge, including authority, intuition, experience, and reason. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, often leading to mistaken knowledge. We investigate how science employs these ways of knowing, emphasizing the importance of empirical evidence and logical reasoning. Concepts of scientific knowledge—facts, principles, laws, hypotheses, and theories—will be discussed, along with the processes of scientific research, peer review, and the role of paradigm in constructing theories. Ultimately, we assess the scientific discipline of psychology.
Understanding Knowledge: Distinguishing Ways of Knowing in Science
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Presentation Transcript
Ways of knowing… • Knowledge can come from: • Authority – I am told that… • Intuition – I feel that… • Experience – I have seen that… • Reason – I have worked out that… • None of these are infallible. Think of an example to show how each may lead to mistaken knowledge.
To what extent does science employ each of these different ways of knowing?
Science • A way of knowing based on experience and reason (Kerlinger, 1973) • Authority and intuition play a role in science but ultimately must be shown to be logical (reason) and supported by empirical evidence (experience)
Quantum mechanics is certainly imposing. But an inner voice tells me that it is not yet the real thing. The theory says a lot, but does not really bring us any closer to the secret of the 'old one'. I, at any rate, am convinced that He does not throw dice. • Albert Einstein • What roles do authority and intuition play in this statement?
Science • A sort of knowledge • A method for obtaining knowledge
Arrange the cards into separate piles and give each pile a name
Elements of scientific knowledge • Science consists of… • Facts – verifiable data about the world • Concepts – rules that allow facts to be categorised • Principles – relationships among facts & concepts • Laws – principles accepted as true for all cases
Scientific research • Remember that research aims can be: • Descriptive • Relational • Causal Facts and concepts Principles Laws
Elements of scientific knowledge • Theories • Sets of facts, concepts and principles that allow a particular phenomenon to be described and explained • Hypotheses • Predictions derived from theories about what will be observed under particular circumstances
Scientific research Theory • Think of an example of this process from the psychological topics we have studied Interpretation Hypothesis Empirical data
Scientific research Theory Peer review – validity of methods & interpretation Paradigm dictates how theory is constructed Interpretation Hypothesis Empirical data Generalisation of findings Use of accepted research method Others will attempt to replicate findings
Using the criteria we have established so far, to what extent do you agree that psychology is a scientific discipline?
