Epistemological Framework Research Articles

Mallarmé's Poetic Creation and Quantum Physics, Epistemic and Epistemological Similarities

The pioneers of quantum physics have proven that everything is connected to everything in the universe. One of them, Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger, has pertinently summarized this reflection in a famous aphorism as follows: “The total number of minds in the universe is one. In fact, consciousness is a singularity phasing within all beings". Such interconnectedness exists not only at the level of subatomic and atomic particles, but also at the macrocosmic and supergalactic level. It can be extended to most disciplines of human knowledge as well. That is why a meticulous study shows that even epistemic areas that seem -aprioristically-incompatible with each other are -factually-cryptically connected. One of the most striking cases of such connectedness is Mallarmé's poetry and quantum physics. Indeed, the major guiding principles inherent in quantum physics are also shared by Mallarmé's poetry: The exceptional power of creative imagination, the indeterministic, probabilistic modus operandi, and quantum non-locality, to mention but a few. In this respect, the goal of our study is to underscore and analyze the kinship between Mallarmé's poetry and quantum physics and decrypt the hermeneutic, heuristic, and epistemological framework that undergirds that kinship. We will use a transdisciplinary approach to knowledge for this specific purpose.

Colonial development policies as tools of ecological imperialism in Southeast Asia

ABSTRACT The study employed an epistemological framework of ecological imperialism to highlight the environmental implications of colonial development policies in Southeast Asia. The analysis focused on the environmental justice, equity, and fairness implications of colonial development initiatives in five domains: the built environment, land, agriculture, forestry, and mining. It reveals that the initiatives were tantamount to ecological imperialism in each domain. The study is not only of historical importance as it contains lessons on the environmental implications of economic development initiatives for the region’s contemporary planners and policymakers.

Arts préhistoriques : un tournant ontologique ?

Social anthropology and archeology have long been seen as sister disciplines. However, when social anthropology has taken up the question of ontologies as early as the 1990s, archeology did not follow in such a blatant manner. For the study of prehistoric arts, ontological approaches remain few. In archaeology, such attempts face major methodological challenges, which relate to the archaeologist's point of view, the materiality of archaeological remains, the difficulty or impossibility of using ethnography, the polysemy of images, the pervasiveness of the tradition of representation, and finally to the fact that anthropologists have not yet provided a unified epistemological framework. This contribution proposes to portray and analyze past and current ontological approaches to prehistoric arts, by offering a short critical history, followed by a study of the paths taken to meet “the challenge of alterity” (Moro Abadía and Porr, 2021).

An unmethodical method: Contextualising the critical essay

This paper charts a theoretical and literary genealogy for what I term the critical essay, which I define as a literary essay that includes analysis of an artwork amongst its objects of inquiry. After briefly outlining the increasing prevalence of the critical essay in contemporary letters, I review theoretical schemas surrounding the critical essay, and grapple with the terminological slippage of labels like “essay” and “criticism”. Drawing from Marxist and feminist schools of literary studies, I argue that alternative forms of critical writing have generally been propounded not as literary modes but rather as scholarly revolts against disciplinary strictures. I argue that such alternative forms of critical writing share a desire to invent modes of analysis and expression capable of challenging dominant class, race and/or gendered ideologies. I go on to propose that the critical essay may be capable of disrupting the epistemological frameworks undergirding public criticism, making space for writers who, due to their subject positions, have not historically been conferred critical authority.

Foucault’s Analysis and Interdisciplinary Perspective on Velázquez's Painting Las Meninas

This paper examines Michel Foucault's interpretation of Diego Velázquez's painting Las Meninas (1656) which he uses to illustrate shifts in épistémès throughout history. After analyzing Foucault's interpretation, I extended his approach by employing an interdisciplinary perspective to relativize some of his concepts. The study incorporates various interdisciplinary methods, demonstrating that these approaches lead to a more profound understanding of the ontological, aesthetic, technical, psychological, and sociological dimensions of Velázquez's painting. This strategy demonstrates that artistic creations are dynamic and surpass simplistic dualistic frameworks, methodological relativism, and determinism. As a result, Las Meninas emerges as a self – referential artefact, continuously evolving in meaning through different epistemological and social frameworks.

The Concept of Islamic Science According to Alparslan Acikgenc: A Study on Contemporary Islamic Epistemology

This article delves into the concept of Islamic science as articulated by Alparslan Acikgenc, a contemporary issue in Islamic epistemology. The study is set against the backdrop of the impact of secular Western science and the dominance of the Western modern science paradigm, rooted in Western philosophy, values, and culture. This context highlights the fact that science is not neutral but inherently value-laden, which calls for a deeper exploration and development of Islamic science. Alparslan Acikgenc, a notable Islamic scholar, provides a definition of Islamic science that is intricately linked to the Islamic worldview, which serves as a fundamental framework for Islamic science. Utilizing descriptive and analytical methods, this study draws several important conclusions. Firstly, Alparslan posits that a scientist's worldview is inseparable from the science they produce, indicating that the underlying beliefs and perspectives of scientists shape their scientific output. Secondly, he argues that a systematic Islamic worldview is necessary for the development of Islamic science, suggesting that without this foundational basis, the science produced will not align with Islamic principles. Thirdly, Alparslan acknowledges that while these definitions are not universally absolute, they hold conventional universality. This means that despite potential differences in opinions among scientists, as long as they share the same worldview, the resulting science will be consistent and coherent. This research underscores the importance of developing Islamic science within its own epistemological framework, thereby challenging the hegemony of Western scientific paradigms and highlighting the significance of cultural and philosophical values in shaping scientific knowledges.

The Overstated Challenge: Analysing the Challenge of Southern Criminology to the Hegemony of Northern Criminology and its Implications for Criminological Theory in the 21st Century

In an era marked by the escalating globalisation of crime, the import of Southern criminology has progressively transitioned from a marginalised field to a central focus in research.[1] This transition presents theoretical challenges to criminology in the Northern Hemisphere.[2] This essay posits that while Southern criminology challenges Northern criminology’s hegemony, these challenges are ultimately overstated. Recognising and addressing these challenges is imperative for improving the epistemological framework and theoretical contributions of criminology, thereby equipping it to confront 21st-century criminal phenomena more effectively. [1] Matthews, Roger. “False Starts, Wrong Turns and Dead Ends: Reflections on Recent Developments in Criminology.” Critical Criminology 25, no. 4 (2017): 577-591. [2] Greenberg, David F. “The Weak Strength of Social Control Theory.” Crime & Delinquency 45, no. 1 (1999): 66–81.

“The Shifting Light of History”: Addressing Philosophy of Memory in Julian Barnes’s <i>Elizabeth Finch</i>

This article discusses the narrative construction of various philosophical reflections on cultural memory in Julian Barnes’s novel <i>Elisabeth Finch</i>. It addresses the dichotomy between recollection and oblivion, presenting a memory process as a the “problem of forgotten evidence”, thoroughly discussed in today’s Cultural and Memory Studies. While contemporary scholars and philosophers aim at reflecting on the role of memory in metaphysics and epistemology, mainly relating the process of recollection either to personal identity, or the experience of time, space and epistemic rationale, the dimension of collective memory, and its foregrounding role in everyone’s self-perceptiveness, receives a considerably reduced critical attention. The literary analysis of <i>Elizabeth Finch</i> seeks to problematize this divisive understanding of functions of memory, proposing instead to consider the semantic complementarity of various processes of recollection/forgetting, connecting the narrative representation of events that one has personally experienced and the officially stated collective renderings of factual memory. It resists considering personal remembering and collective forgetting as ostensibly competing rationales, proposing to delve deeper into a tightly crafted relationship between the perception of one’s identity in time and epistemological framework of collective experience mostly focused on the officially stated dimension of memory. Revisiting discourses on religion associated with the narrative construction of borderlands in Julian Barnes’s <i>Elizabeth Finch</i>, this article contributes to reconsider collective memory and counter-memory not as mutually exclusive, but as synthetized and put into productive motion narrative dimensions. The intertextual articulation of discourses on religion fosters new theoretical perspectives for rethinking counter-memory not only as a mode of recovering silenced and contested versions of the European history, but also as a means of providing multidimensional and transcultural interpretation of the collective past. Perceived as a form of discursive resistance to any kind of political and social dominance, the narrative construction of “forgotten evidence” elucidates the complex post-dialectical relationship between official collective memory and marginalized counter-memory.

Critical Intercultural Communication and the Public Sphere: Theoretical Engagements with Tahakkum and Other-Interculturality

ABSTRACT This article argues that tahakkum [ التَّحَكُّمِ ], an indigenous intercultural communication concept, impedes the functioning of the public sphere and underlines the failure (or unwillingness) of the authoritarian state and political actors to set conditions for plural deliberation and good governance. Using the critical cases of the sliding back of Islamist influence and the hirak (movement) against water privatization in an oasis town in southeast Morocco, the article theorizes tahakkum and proposes “other-interculturality” as an-other epistemological and ethical framework to articulate an intercultural communication model that interrogates embedded layers of power and domination, champions collective solidarity, and celebrates diversity without occluding difference.

Meaning of the experience of breast cancer patients in a university clinic in Bogotá, Colombia: A qualitative study

To understand the meaning of the experiences of breast cancer patients undergoing diagnostic and treatment processes. A descriptive qualitative study based on the hermeneutic-interpretative scientific paradigm and grounded in a phenomenological epistemological framework. The study included women aged 18 years or older diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at a university clinic in Bogotá, who were given a semi-structured interview. Procedure: Semi-structured interviews were conducted based on pre-established categories. Aspects evaluated: Knowledge about current breast cancer screening and detection patterns, current utilization patterns of healthcare services, and perceived healthcare needs. Regarding Current knowledge patterns on breast cancer screening and detection, patients demonstrated limited awareness. Concerning Current utilization patterns of healthcare services, there were noted dissatisfactions with the administrative process. Regarding Perceived healthcare needs, a feeling of abandonment was identified, stemming from a lack of continuity in the care process. Additionally, two emergent categories were identified: trust in the healthcare system and predisposition to feelings of guilt due to a lack of knowledge about the disease. A comprehensive care process is needed that addresses the real medical needs of patients, beyond administrative concerns, and is focused on the quality of the doctor-patient relationship across the entire multidisciplinary team.

Facilitators and barriers to policy implementation: A mixed-method study on the plurilingual policy in Luxembourg

This study examines implementation factors of a pioneering plurilingual policy designed to foster language development in early childhood education and care in Luxembourg. Using a mixed-method design, combining qualitative expert interviews and a quantitative survey, it offers insights from both policy- and practice-level perspectives on factors that may facilitate or hinder policy implementation. The study shows horizontal and vertical sectorial disparities among ministerial stakeholders at the policy level, and disparities between different organizational forms at the practice level. These multi-level variations highlight the complex nature of policy implementation and the factors acting as facilitators or barriers to its success. This research suggests (1) a more tailored approach to policy implementation to consider organizational diversity; (2) a more epistemological framework for policy guidelines to avoid ambiguities between policy and practice; and (3) promotion of continuous professional development and exchange groups among different practice-level sectors to facilitate policy implementation in practice.

Breaking boundaries: children activist as epistemic agents within contours of epistemic marginalisation

The article delves into the realm of child environmental activism, portraying it as a concerted response aimed at challenging the prevailing social and political status quo, which systematically underestimates the role of children in decision-making within political and social spheres. It highlights the paramount importance of the epistemological framework that encompasses children's experiences, emphasising how their exclusion from political and social discourse leads to epistemic marginalisation. This exclusion not only prevents children from assuming the role of epistemic agents but also deprives them of agency and perpetuates existing inequalities. From a philosophical perspective, the article proposes a thorough analysis of children's epistemic agency, introducing the concept of 'epistemic capability'. It argues that, despite their social marginalisation, knowledgeable children can equip themselves with epistemic resources to interpret their reality and effect change. Furthermore, it posits that environmental activism plays a crucial role as an epistemic resource for children, facilitating the expression of their ideas, challenging dominant narratives, and addressing environmental and social issues head-on. The article emphasises the transformative potential of activism as an epistemic resource, enabling substantive participation and empowering children to navigate and transcend such marginalised circumstances. In conclusion, it highlights how child environmental activism not only challenges the status quo but also provides children with crucial tools for their development as epistemic and social agents, promoting significant change in power dynamics and in the fight for social and environmental justice.

On the (un)suitability of literature for moral education

AbstractIn this article, I defend moral aesthetic cognitivism, the view that literature is a valuable source of insights related to morally relevant aspects of our world and that it can significantly contribute to our moral education. I am in particular concerned with counterarguments to this view voiced by Greg Currie, who trashes epistemological foundations of literature and emphasizes the lack of empirical corroboration of cognitivism, and by Peter Lamarque, who dismisses educative potential of literature on the account of readers' incapacity to extract morally relevant judgements about the world from literary works. I rely on examples from literary tradition to rebuild the epistemological framework underlying cognitivism and on contemporary insights from moral psychology to show that our engagements with literature are permeated with moral reflections that are valuable for our moral education.

The polyphonic relational epistemology

This paper introduces the concept of polyphonic relational epistemology, an extension of relational epistemology that emphasizes knowledge as a dialogic and multivocal process. Drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of polyphony, the paper argues that the act of knowing emerges from the interaction of multiple, irreducible voices. This approach challenges traditional epistemological frameworks that prioritize individual coherence and logical consistency, proposing instead a view of truth as a dynamic interplay of diverse perspectives. The paper examines the contributions of key scholars in relational epistemology, such as Kenneth Gergen, Barbara Thayer-Bacon, and Lorraine Code, and builds upon their insights to develop a polyphonic understanding of knowledge. The practical implications of polyphonic relational epistemology are explored in the context of education, highlighting its potential to foster inclusive and collaborative learning environments. By embracing the complexity and multiplicity of human experience, polyphonic relational epistemology offers a rich framework for rethinking the nature of knowledge and its role in our lives. The paper concludes by outlining avenues for future scholarship, including empirical research, interdisciplinary approaches, and the integration of technology, to further refine and apply this conceptual framework in educational practice and beyond.

To Be and Perception--A preliminary study of Phenomenology of Architecture

The phenomenological philosophy founded by Husserl attempts to reflect on language as a fundamental cognitive tool through the method of suspension and restoration, and to break the binary opposition between subject and object, phenomenon and essence. In Husserl's view, language is not only a medium for interaction between humans and the world, but also the foundation for constructing human experience. This philosophical approach provides us with a brand new way of understanding the world, enabling us to go beyond traditional epistemological frameworks and delve deeper into the essence of human experience. Heidegger's existentialist phenomenology and Merleau Ponty's perceptual phenomenology are important branches that inherit and develop Husserl's phenomenology, and the exploration of architectural phenomenology is mainly based on these two branches. This article analyzes the mapping relationship between Norbert Schultz's place spirit and Steven Hall's architectural practice, respectively.

Applied Pragmatic Functional Contextualism: A New Epistemological and Theoretical Framework for Applied Mental Health Research

Applied Pragmatic Functional Contextualism: A New Epistemological and Theoretical Framework for Applied Mental Health Research

Is learning with ChatGPT really learning?

The recent proliferation of Large Language Models (LLMs) raises questions as to the role of such tools both within an educational learning environment and their epistemic capacity. If, as Alfred North Whitehead remarked, western philosophy indeed ‘consists of a series of footnotes to Plato’, it would be of doubtless importance to evaluate the position of LLMs in his epistemological framework. We analyse Plato and existing scholarship regarding his epistemology, combining this with a brief outline of the architectural features of GPT-3 and similar LLMs, before finally addressing whether they meet Plato’s criteria, and where they stand in relation to education in general. We conclude that, in conjunction with the well-known factual unreliability of LLMs, they are likewise unsuited for the satisfaction of a Platonic epistemological standard. On account of this, we find LLMs to be sub-optimal within an educational learning environment, and this is why we suggest that their use be accordingly circumscribed.

Family support workforce skills: Pathways towards (new) conceptualizations

Professionals working in different areas of family support have diverse conceptual assumptions and epistemological frameworks. Thus, a common conceptualization of family support workforce skills presents major research and practical challenge. Beyond general recognizability, a growing knowledge base and interests, there is still no generally accepted concept of what family support is as a practice, policy, and theoretical construct. This paper attempts to conceptualize the skills for the practice of family support in different professions and social sectors through several research approaches. Initially, we analyzed the content of websites with international organizations’ resources about skills in family support. Second, we systematically reviewed literature using the PRISMA method. Last, we reviewed literature, including professional handbooks and publications. The content analysis and systematic literature reviews indicate that as an interdisciplinary concept, family support workforce skills are generally familiar, but not defined nor specified and differentiated from other skills used in the broad field of work with families. So, to deepen the knowledge on family support workforce skills and reach a reliable consensus, the Delphi method was used with a series of questionnaires at different stages of research. Results indicate that specific core and field-specific skills become family supportive when they are applied in the contexts of strength and relationship-based approach as well as both – whole family and child-centred approach. That has opened up new possibilities for more precise definitions, recognisability and transferability of family support skills and construction of a conceptual model.

인식틀 전환의 화용론적 효과

In this paper, I have analyzed a pragmatical effect of the call of the “universal care.” The care problem has become one of the most issues in the age of the so-called ‘polycrisis.’ So ask many people seeking the alternatives for a better society to change our epistemological framework. According to them, the care problem is not only for some vulnerable people, but for everyone. They say we need to be more politically engaged to solve the problem. It also means the call for the strengthened subjectivity. However, we know that asking for everyone is sometimes asking for no one. Therefore, in order the call to ‘universal care’ to have practical power, it will require not only ideological clarity but also careful consideration of the conditions of reality. I tried to show this pragmatical problem in relation to the poverty of the subjectivity in our days.

TRANSCENDING THE WESTERN PARADIGMS: RECLAIMING THE INDIAN TEXTS THROUGH ‘COSMOCAL PREADING’

Indian classical literature, embodying millennia of cultural, spiritual, and philosophical wisdom, remains a cornerstone of the subcontinent’s intellectual tradition. However, the approach to reading and interpreting these texts has often been marred by modernist distortions and pedagogical limitations, which obscure their true essence. This paper seeks to explore the multifaceted richness of Indian classical literature, examining the pedagogical pitfalls and proposing alternative approaches—such as "Cosmocal Preading"—to effectively engage with these texts. By critiquing Eurocentric paradigms that define modernity and emphasizing the epistemological framework rooted in Indian cosmology, this research aims to establish a more holistic, multidimensional understanding of Indian classics. Furthermore, the paper discusses how terms like Dharma, Karma, and rebirth, crucial to texts like the Mahābhārata, must be understood within their own cultural and philosophical contexts rather than through reductive or misaligned frameworks. This article thus advocates for the re-education of both readers and scholars on how to approach classical texts in a way that honors their intended depth and universality.