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.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Introduction to Post-Positivism

Post-positivism is a philosophical perspective that emerged in the latter half of the 20th century as a critical revision of positivism. While positivism held the belief in the objective observation and understanding of reality, post-positivism acknowledges the limitations in fully apprehending external reality. It shifts from naive realism to critical realism, recognizing that scientific knowledge is not absolute but rather probable and subject to falsification. The first major figure associated with post-positivism is Karl Popper, who emphasized the process of falsification over induction, aligning with philosophers like David Hume and Bertrand Russell. Popper's approach to science is deductive, where hypotheses are tested to be false, and if they withstand attempts at falsification, they are provisionally accepted as true.

Keywords

💡Post-positivism

Post-positivism is a philosophical perspective that emerged in the second half of the 20th century as a critical revision of positivism. It acknowledges the limitations of objectivity in scientific observation and knowledge creation. In the video, post-positivism is contrasted with positivism's naive realism, moving towards a critical realism that recognizes the probabilistic nature of understanding external reality. The video explains that post-positivists do not claim to fully understand reality but instead seek partial and probabilistic knowledge, which could be falsified in the future.

💡Positivism

Positivism is an earlier philosophical approach that believed in the possibility of objectively observing and recording reality to achieve a full understanding of it. The video mentions that post-positivism arose as a response to the perceived shortcomings of positivism, which was criticized for being out of line with lived experiences and scientific discoveries, particularly in the field of physics.

💡Critical Realism

Critical realism is a concept within post-positivism that still embraces the existence of an external reality but seeks to understand it partially and probabilistically. The video uses the example of observing a forest, where a post-positivist would say that through observation and experimentation, one can gain highly probable knowledge that could be falsified in the future, rather than claiming full understanding as a positivist might.

💡Falsification

Falsification, as introduced by Karl Popper, is a central concept in post-positivism. It refers to the process of attempting to prove a hypothesis wrong. The video explains that for Popper, science is not about inductively generalizing from observations but deductively testing hypotheses to see if they can be proven false. If a hypothesis withstands rigorous attempts at falsification, it can be provisionally accepted as true.

💡Deductive Process

A deductive process in science, as described by Popper and mentioned in the video, involves starting with a hypothesis and deducing a proposition from it, which is then tested to see if it can be proven wrong. This is contrasted with the inductive process, which positivism favored, where repeated observations lead to the conclusion of a universal truth.

💡Thomas Kuhn

Thomas Kuhn is a key figure in the development of post-positivist thought, known for his book 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.' The video discusses how Kuhn challenged the idea of scientific knowledge as a neat accumulation, instead showing it as a messy, historical, and sociological development marked by paradigm shifts.

💡Paradigm Shifts

Paradigm shifts, as documented by Kuhn, refer to the sudden changes in the overarching worldview or framework within which scientific knowledge is understood. The video explains that these shifts are not objective but involve many influences, including human factors, thus challenging the positivist view of science.

💡Werner Heisenberg

Werner Heisenberg is mentioned in the video for his work on quantum theory, particularly the uncertainty principle. This principle challenges positivism by stating that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of a subatomic particle simultaneously, and that the act of observation changes the particle, making prediction impossible.

💡Niels Bohr

Niels Bohr is noted in the video for challenging positivism's assumptions about reality (ontology) by suggesting that subatomic particles behave in ways fundamentally different from what was previously observed, indicating that there may be aspects of reality that cannot be objectively known.

💡Quantum Theory

Quantum theory, as developed by Heisenberg and others, is highlighted in the video for its role in shaping post-positivist thought. It introduces complex and chaotic findings that challenge the positivist assumptions about the knowability and predictability of reality.

💡Epistemology

Epistemology is the study of knowledge and the nature and grounds of knowledge. The video discusses how post-positivism challenges positivism's epistemology by suggesting that knowledge is not absolute but is subject to revision and is influenced by the observer.

Highlights

Post-positivism is a philosophical perspective that emerged in the second half of the 20th century.

Post-positivism critically revised the understanding of objective observation and reality.

The perspective was shaped by critiques of positivism's view of an orderly and predictable world.

Post-positivism moved from naive realism to critical realism.

It acknowledges the partial and probabilistic nature of apprehending external reality.

Post-positivists believe that scientific knowledge is provisionally true and can be falsified.

Karl Popper is a major figure in post-positivism, focusing on the process of falsification.

Popper opposed the logical positivism of the Vienna Circle and Wittgenstein.

Science, for Popper, is a deductive process rather than an inductive one.

Thomas Kuhn's 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions' documents the non-linear development of scientific knowledge.

Kuhn argues for paradigm shifts in scientific knowledge, influenced by human factors.

Post-positivist thought responds to and builds on findings in physics, particularly quantum theory.

Heisenberg's uncertainty principle challenges the ability to predict subatomic particles' behavior.

Niels Bohr challenges the objective knowledge of reality with his quantum theory insights.

Post-positivism is seen as increasingly relevant in light of complex scientific findings.

Post-positivism offers an alternative to positivism for scientific inquiry.

Transcripts

so you're wondering what post-positivism

is

you've come to the right place let's dig

in

as the name suggests post-positivism

came after something called positivism

so you may want to check out the

positivism video as well for more

context

but let's suffice it to say that

post-positivism is a philosophical

perspective

arising the second half of the 20th

century which critically revised

the prevailing understanding among

scientists that reality

outside of oneself can be objectively

observed and recorded

resulting in full understanding of that

reality

there came a point where this view of

the world and knowledge creation as

orderly and predictable

was criticized as being out of line with

lived experience

the history of scientific discovery and

new findings in physics

these critiques shaped a new perspective

that of post-positivism

that did not fully reject positivist

understandings

but modified them post-positivism moved

from the naive realism of positivism

which believed in fully and objectively

apprehending reality

outside of oneself towards a critical

realism

which still embraced an understanding of

reality outside of the knower

but instead sought to partially and

probabilistically apprehend that

external reality so instead of saying

through observation and experimentation

i can fully understand the reality of

this forest

like a positivist the postpositivist

might say

through observation and experimentation

i can gain knowledge of this forest

that is highly probable though could in

the future

be falsified through further

investigation

the first major figure in

post-positivism was karl popper

who positioned himself against the

logical positivism of the vienna circle

and wittgenstein

which is discussed in the positivism

video

for popper the process of falsification

is central

rather than understanding science as an

inductive process

or observing a result over and over and

over a bunch of times

meant that you could conclude it was a

universal truth or principle

popper aligned himself with a number of

philosophers including david hume and

bertrand

russell in pointing out that just

because something happens a bunch of

times

does not mean it will happen every time

rather popper presented science as a

deductive process

in which a researcher deduces a

proposition from their hypothesis

and then attempts to prove that

deduction wrong

if it is not proven wrong even when

everyone in the scientific community is

given the chance to try hard to do so

it can be accepted as provisionally true

while popper got the post-positive train

rolling out of the station

he was replaced in the driver's seat by

thomas kuhn scholar and author of the

seminal book

the structure of scientific revolutions

which argues that scientific knowledge

has not been accumulated neatly

rather kuhn documents the messy

historical and sociological development

of scientific knowledge

which is marked as he observes by

significant paradigm shifts

in which one overarching worldview

suddenly gives way to another

this process is demonstrably not

objective or detached

but rather integrates many influences

including human

ones post-positivist thought grew in

response to

and built on findings in physics

particularly those of werner heisenberg

and niels bohr heisenberg's quantum

theory includes the uncertainty

principle

stating that it is impossible to figure

out both the momentum

and the position of a subatomic particle

where is that little electron going

we can't predict and that the very act

of observing the particle alters it

making prediction impossible and

challenging positivism's assumptions

about knowledge or its epistemology

bohr on the other hand challenge

positivism's assumptions about reality

its ontology by asserting that subatomic

particles are inherently different

from previously observed and understood

reality

opening up the possibility of reality

that cannot be objectively and

positively known

as complex even chaotic findings such as

these continued to emerge in physics

and other areas of science the

post-positivist perspective

has seemed increasingly relevant as an

alternative to positivism

as a basis for scientific inquiry