Post-Positivism as a Philosophy of Research

Summary

Post-positivism, emerging in the 20th century, critiques and modifies positivism's view of objective reality and knowledge. It shifts from naive realism to critical realism, acknowledging partial and probabilistic understanding of external reality. Key figures like Karl Popper emphasize falsification over induction, while Thomas Kuhn's 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions' highlights the non-linear, sociological development of science. Post-positivism also responds to quantum physics, challenging positivist epistemology and ontology with the uncertainty principle and new realities.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Post-positivism is a philosophical perspective that emerged in the second half of the 20th century, offering a critical revision to the positivist view of objective reality.
• 🔬 Post-positivism moves from naive realism, which posits that reality can be fully understood, to critical realism, which acknowledges that our understanding of reality is partial and probabilistic.
• 🌟 The first major figure in post-positivism was Karl Popper, who emphasized the importance of falsification in the scientific process, contrasting with the inductive approach of positivism.
• 📚 Popper's approach to science is deductive, where a hypothesis is tested to see if it can be proven wrong, rather than confirmed through repeated observations.
• 🚀 Thomas Kuhn, another key figure, argued that scientific knowledge does not accumulate neatly but is marked by significant paradigm shifts and is influenced by historical and sociological factors.
• 🌌 Kuhn's concept of paradigm shifts suggests that scientific progress is not linear but involves sudden changes in the overarching worldview that guides scientific thought.
• 🤔 Post-positivism was influenced by findings in physics, particularly quantum theory, which challenged the positivist assumptions about the certainty and predictability of knowledge and reality.
• 📐 Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of a subatomic particle simultaneously, undermines the positivist view of objective knowledge.
• 🌐 Bohr's interpretation of quantum mechanics challenges the positivist ontology by suggesting that subatomic particles exist in a reality that cannot be fully known or objectively described.
• 🔄 The post-positivist perspective has become increasingly relevant as an alternative to positivism, especially in light of complex and chaotic findings in various scientific fields.

Q & A

What is post-positivism?

Post-positivism is a philosophical perspective that emerged in the second half of the 20th century, which critically revised the positivist view that reality can be objectively observed and fully understood. It acknowledges that our understanding of reality is partial and probabilistic.

How does post-positivism differ from positivism?

While positivism assumes that reality can be fully and objectively apprehended through observation and experimentation, post-positivism adopts a critical realism stance, recognizing that we can only partially and probabilistically understand external reality.

What is the significance of Karl Popper in post-positivism?

Karl Popper is a major figure in post-positivism, known for his concept of falsification. He argued against the inductive method of science and proposed a deductive approach where a hypothesis is tested to see if it can be proven wrong.

What is the role of falsification in Popper's view of science?

For Popper, falsification is central to the scientific process. A scientific theory is not proven true through repeated observations but is considered provisionally true if it withstands attempts to prove it wrong.

Who is Thomas Kuhn and how does his work relate to post-positivism?

Thomas Kuhn is a scholar known for his book 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions,' which argues that scientific knowledge develops through messy historical and sociological processes marked by paradigm shifts, rather than neat accumulation.

What is a paradigm shift as described by Kuhn?

A paradigm shift, according to Kuhn, is a significant change in the basic assumptions and concepts that make up a scientific discipline, leading to a new worldview that replaces the old one.

How do the findings in physics, particularly quantum theory, relate to post-positivism?

Findings in physics, such as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and Bohr's view on the nature of subatomic particles, challenge the positivist assumptions about the objectivity and predictability of reality, supporting the post-positivist view that reality may not be fully knowable.

What is the uncertainty principle in quantum theory and how does it challenge positivism?

The uncertainty principle, proposed by Werner Heisenberg, states that it is impossible to simultaneously determine both the position and momentum of a subatomic particle with absolute precision. This principle challenges the positivist belief in the ability to objectively and accurately measure reality.

How does Niels Bohr's work challenge positivism's assumptions about reality?

Niels Bohr's work on quantum mechanics suggests that subatomic particles exist in a state of superposition and only take on definite properties upon observation, which implies that reality at the quantum level is inherently subjective and not objectively knowable.

In what ways has post-positivism influenced scientific inquiry?

Post-positivism has influenced scientific inquiry by promoting a more nuanced understanding of the scientific process, acknowledging the role of subjectivity, probability, and the historical and social context in the development of scientific knowledge.

What is the post-positivist view on the objectivity of scientific knowledge?

Post-positivists argue that scientific knowledge is not purely objective but is influenced by various factors including the observer's perspective, the methods used, and the social and historical context in which the science is conducted.