Epistemological Views Research Articles

More Than a Theory: Conspiracy Theorising As a Practical Tradition

In answering the question, ‘What is a conspiracy theory?’ scholars typically take an epistemological view, with many asking whether the term’s pejorative use as a marker of obvious falsehood is justified. Especially among philosophers, a consensus has emerged that conspiracy theories should not be dismissed as prima facie false, that each should be judged on its own merits. However, while some philosophers have encouraged social scientists to embrace this epistemological view of conspiracy theories, this article argues that it is less useful for those of us working in political studies. We are right to worry about being too dismissive of all charges of conspiracy, but conspiracy theorising involves more than just making truth claims; it is about politics, history and culture too. In approaching it through the narrow lens of epistemology, we miss much of what is happening in conspiracy theorising. My aim in this article is to offer a new framework for analysing conspiracy theorising as a practice, rather than as a category of explanation. This framework builds on Michael Billig and Jovan Byford’s idea of the conspiracy theory tradition, showing conspiracy theorising to involve the recycling and adaptation of pre-existing ideas, themes and texts to fit new situations.

Towards a digital preschool community: Applying activity theory to explore teachers’ views and use of digital tools in science activities

As a result of the increasing digitalisation of society, integration of digital tools has recently been made imperative in the Swedish preschool curricula. This study explores how experienced preschool teachers enact this task when teaching science. Thematic analysis of 13 teachers’ descriptions of why and how they integrate digital tools revealed that digital tools were purposefully used to simultaneously expand science learning and foster fundamental values according to the curriculum. Children’s perspectives, interests, and agency were foregrounded in all activities, and digital and analogue tools were combined to complement children’s various ways of learning and provide opportunities for creativity and exploration. The use of Activity Theory as an analytical lens showed that varying epistemological views within communities might cause tensions when experienced teachers pursue their visions of introducing digital tools. An implication of the study is that varying epistemological views and competences within preschool communities need to be resolved to pursue future digitalisation of preschool science at a larger scale.

Философский диспут vs cостязание в навыках: к методам интерпретации латинской агиографии в древнеисландской «Саге о Клименте»

The Clemens saga is a biography of St. Clement of Rome, compiled in the 1220s from translations of two Latin hagiographical works, the Recogniciones and the Passio Sancti Climentis. The Old Norse author made the translation in accordance with the peculiarities of the “saga” style: he changed the narrative modus, added didactic comments on Latin book culture, and used motifs and elements from Scandinavian folk literature. In addition, the Clemens saga is almost devoid of the philosophical and dogmatic Christian discourses that characterize the Recollections. One of such episodes altered in content is the philosophical contest between Faustinianus and his three sons - Aquila, Nikita and Clement, touching upon important questions of being from a Christian position and refuting epistemological views. In the Clemens saga this plot takes the form of a contest in the Seven Liberal Arts between Faustinianus and Clement, caused by a misunderstanding of the consubstantial nature of the almighty God. Despite the fact that a contest in skills or a duel is a frequent plot in Scandinavian sagas and poetry, comparing their structure and literary motifs with the Clemens saga, we can conclude that the author, interpreting the original, does not rely on examples from his own popular culture. Instead, he turns to Latin secular literature, turning the philosophical disputation into a contest in the Seven Liberal Arts, which are rarely found in the saga corpus. By combining methods of interpretation with reliance on Latin secular and religious or Scandinavian folk literature, the scribe not only influences the structure and style of the text, but also its content.

ABU RAYHON BERUNIY QARASHLARINING FALSAFIY TAFAKKUR RIVOJLANISHIDAGI AHAMIYATI

This article is devoted to the important role of the ontological and epistemological views and teachings of Abu Rayhan Beruni, the great thinker of the Renaissance in Central Asia, in the philosophical understanding of the rings in the society of that time.

Antiracist Anger as Social and Moral Inquiry in Colectivo Ayllu's Devuélvannos el oro: Cosmovisiones perversas y acciones anticoloniales (2018)

Abstract: My essay looks at how diasporic, racialized, and sexually-and gender dissident voices that collaborated with Colectivo Ayllu in their first year of residency at CRA Matadero Madrid (2017–18) approach antiracist activism from a decolonial feminist perspective that analyzes gender and sexuality in relation to race and coloniality. I analyze Devuélvannos el oro: Cosmovisiones perversas y acciones anticoloniales , a compilation of visual, poetic, and essayistic pieces curated by Ayllu that emerge from experiential and political reflections, as well as anticolonial actions developed during the group's residency. I read Ayllu's emancipatory thinking first within a view of decolonial epistemology that enacts situated notions of knowledge, beauty, and truth outside Eurocentric frameworks. I also bring to light a concurrent understanding of decolonized epistemology that permeates Devuélvannos 's project and allows for making normative truth claims about systems of inequality and human flourishing. I discuss the consequences of both (compatible) notions of decolonial epistemology in Ayllu's formulation of antiracism activism. My essay bridges critical lenses from postpositivist realist theories of identity, women of color feminism and decolonial feminism to the study of emotions as embodied forms of knowledge that may offer "clarity" and insight into how ideologies and structures of power operate in a society.

Science curriculum-making for the Anthropocene: perspectives and possibilities

ABSTRACT This paper illuminates how science curriculum-making can be reinvigorated to address urgent local and global socioscientific issues that centres place as an interconnected part of larger socio-ecological and socio-technical systems. Given how industrial and capitalistic extractive practices have pushed the planet beyond its complex life-sustaining limits, we draw on theoretical perspectives that recognise schools as complex systems, nested within local, regional, and global social-ecological-technological systems. Science curriculum-making in these systems prompts dialogue regarding knowledge and competencies required to address planetary sustainability, as well as ontological questions connected to systems, relations, and responsibility. Consequently, schools are important places for curriculum enactment practices. Furthermore, teachers, students, administrators, and school community members are enmeshed with local ecologies that are constituted in the cultural, material, and social arrangements found in or brought to a school and its local community. In our work, we draw on a curriculum commonplaces perspective to investigate curriculum-making practices. Specifically, we use empirical data from two cases of elementary and secondary science teachers developing and enacting curriculum and adopt a philosophical-empirical deductive approach illustrative of how to apply complexity theory, systems thinking, and associated ontological and epistemological views to practical reasoning of science curriculum-making for schools.

Quality Governance, the Spice for Quality Infrastructure Development in Africa

This article examines the relationship between quality governance and infrastructure development. Quality governance is measured through government effectiveness (GE). GE measures the perceptions of the quality of public services, civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures. It also captures the quality of policy formulation and implementation, as well as the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies. Similarly, infrastructure development is measured through infrastructure composite index. The study is anchored by the positivism philosophical underpinnings, with an ontological view of reality exists independent of the researcher and the epistemological view of the researcher does not influence the study since the truth can be ascertained through the measurable indicators. Furthermore, the research design is descriptive and regression in nature. The study employs secondary data accessed from world governance indicators and world bank data respectively. Their methods of data collection are upheld as is. The data was retrieved, cleaned, sorted, normalized, and analyzed using STATA. The findings indicate a positive relationship between infrastructure development and quality governance. This article highlights the need for the African continent to improve quality governance for it to attain better infrastructure development. Given that, it was only Mauritius and Seychelles with positive indicative measures above 50%.

Pricean ignorance

ABSTRACT Richard Price’s moral epistemology provides a distinctive account, not only of the sources of our moral knowledge, but also of its limits – that is, of the moral truths that we do not and even cannot know. According to this moral epistemology, the fundamental moral truths are necessary rather than contingent; if they are knowable at all, they are knowable a priori. In general, fundamental moral truths are akin to mathematical truths. Specifically, these necessary moral truths are grounded in the essences of act-types, which are knowable through ‘intuition’ if knowable at all. However, Price firmly rejects utilitarianism, recognizing several different ‘branches of virtue’, which can conflict with each other. As he argues, we cannot know the truth about act-types that exemplify such conflicting branches of virtue if the competing considerations are too finely balanced. This view of moral epistemology is compared with those of several other philosophers, including W. D. Ross. It is argued that Price has a more unified view than Ross: for Price, all moral knowledge flows from a priori intuition, but this is compatible with our being ignorant of many of the fine details of the fundamental truths of morality.

Quantum physical insights of agential realism within new materialism in science education:

Barad’s agential realism has recently been evoked as a theoretical viewpoint for science education and science education research in approaches that emphasize the role of materiality and matter as a key aspect of learning science. Barad’s agential realism is underpinned by their specific ways of reading quantum physics, its interpretations and, in general, contemplations of the quantum nature of existence. Agential realism is an ontological as well as an epistemological (onto-epistemological) metaphysical position that strives to dissolve the boundaries between subjects and objects, and leaves little room for traditional subject-centered epistemological views (like constructivism) of learning. A closer look is warranted at how the quantum physics underpinnings of agential realism, which are clearly very important for it, appear in its current applications in new materialism within science education research. This critical commentary claims that, in such a context, the conceptualization of learning and educational phenomena derives little if any advantage or practical utility from the quantum physics-inspired metaphysics of agential realism; only metaphorical talk remains. Consequently, we need to be aware of the limited power and plausibility of the quantum-inspired contemplations contained in agential realism if it is adopted as a theoretical viewpoint for science education and science education research.

Сердце, душа и разум как философские понятия в мировоззрении П.Д. Юркевича

The article examines the epistemological views of Pamphil Danilovich Yurkevich, a prominent representative of Russian religious philosophy. Emphasis is placed on the fact that it is wrong to perceive the soul as a mechanical device, which can only be affected mathematically by stimuli from the outside world. It is the heart that is the organ of holistic knowledge and the key element connecting with the soul. Yurkevich categorically disagrees with the modernist point of view that the justice that society is trying to establish through laws is created solely by the mind of people and that these laws relate only to issues of property and any external freedoms. The philosopher believes that it is unacceptable to equate the reasonableness of an act with its moral dignity: “reasonable” does not at all mean “moral” from the standpoint of Christian love. The author of the article concludes that the philosophy of the heart, of which P.D. is an outstanding representative. Yurkevich helps a person bring genuine moral consciousness into the world, find the perfect combination between intuition, reason and feelings, as well as reveal their true values and establish a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them.

Heritage and hesitancy: how preference for traditional Chinese medicine influences vaccine attitudes.

Vaccine hesitancy, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, is a pressing public health challenge. This study investigates the association between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) preference and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy within China. The study uses data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) (N = 2,690). Logistic regressions and Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method are employed to analyzed the relationship between TCM preference and vaccine hesitancy. The study reaffirms prior findings by revealing a robust and stable association between TCM preference and vaccine hesitancy, which remains unaffected by socioeconomic and demographic confounders, as well as institutional trust dynamics of healthcare system. Contrary to expectations, TCM enthusiasts do not exhibit vaccine hesitancy based on divergent epistemological views concerning vaccine risks and immunity acquisition compared to biomedicine. This research enriches understandings of the intricate relations between healthcare paradigms and vaccine attitudes, inviting further inquiry into the role of CAM in shaping vaccination behaviors across different cultures and contexts. The insights bear significant public health implications for enhancing vaccine acceptance and coverage, particularly among populations where CAM practices wield substantial influence.

Понятие трансцендентального в системе трансцендентального монизма В. Д. Кудрявцева-Платонова

The aim of the article is to clarify the meaning of the concept of "transcendental" in the epistemology of the most prominent representative of Russian ecclesiastic-academic philosophy of the second half of the 19th century, Christian philosopher V. D. Kudryavtsev-Platonov, as well as the relationship of this concept in the interpretation of the Russian religious philosopher to the philosophical tradition of transcendentalism established by I. Kant. The core of Kudryavtsev's entire epistemology is the concept of transcendental monism presented in his work "Metaphysical Analysis of Empirical Cognition". In the process of reconstruction of the mentioned concept it is shown that it has two planes: ontological and epistemological. Transcendental monism as an epistemological concept is the subject of conceptual and comparative analysis in the article, by means of which similarities and differences between Kudryavtsev's and Kant's epistemology are established. On the basis of this comparison it is concluded that Kudryavtsev, denying only the subjective character of cognitive forms, overcame Kant's transcendental idealism. Then the epistemological views of V. T. Krug and F. A. Trendelenburg are analysed as basic positions for Kudryavtsev's transcendental monism in order to identify its links with the tradition of Kantian transcendentalism. According to the results of the analysis, the ideas of Krug, Trendelenburg and Kudryavtsev are compared, which shows the points of convergence between the philosophers, namely, the transcendental for them appears in connection with the a priori, that is, with that which has an inexperienced origin, but lies at the basis of possible experience. It is established that Krug, Trendelenburg and Kudryavtsev endeavoured to overcome the gap between thinking and the external world in the process of cognition, which had arisen in Kantian transcendental idealism. Hence, it is concluded that the concept of "transcendental" in Kudryavtsev's theory of cognition is linked to the tradition of Kantian transcendentalism through the concept of apriorism. Finally, it is concluded that Kudryavtsev's epistemology is an example of Christian philosophy incorporating the concept of the transcendental in its connection with Kantian transcendentalism, and may become a model for new attempts to construct a Christian epistemology.

Investigating the Philosophical View of Teaching Circles Theorem

Circle theorem was seen as the most challenging mathematics topic most students’ in Ghana run away from. During the WASCE, most students run away from answering mathematics questions that are in line with circle theorem. Such challenge has drawn the attention of mathematics teachers and researchers in mathematics education to find out the factors that drives students from attempting circle theorem question and the appropriate approach that can be used to teacher and to solve questions in circle theorem. The study aimed to investigate the philosophical view of teaching circle theorem. The literature review was based on ontological view of circle theorem, axiological view of circle theorem, and epistemological view of circle theorem. The study concluded that, the three philological view of mathematics has a unique significant effect on teaching and learning circle theorem.

For a more reflexive and humanistic scientific education: the contribution of Sandra Harding’s critical view of science

This text aims to present a synthesis of the main ideas of Sandra Harding’s critical feminist epistemology of science, with the aim of integrating these ideas into science education for the development of more reflective, humanistic citizens resistant to any form of discrimination. Some contemporary epistemological views are brought into dialogue, with the goal of inspiring students and teachers in basic education to rethink stereotypical conceptions of science that still persist today. Given the complexity and theoretical scope of Harding’s analysis, we focus on one of her main works and some articles. We hope that the concepts and layers discussed here can stimulate debates about feminist thought and encourage some teachers to discuss aspects of epistemology and the history of science in their science classes, bringing different perspectives to the process of scientific evolution.

A study on entrepreneurial innovation among entities in Singapore

The present study aimed to study the entrepreneurial innovation among entities in Singapore. It evaluated the various obstacles that affect entrepreneurial innovation within entities. Further, it has also analysed the various elements that are crucial to overcome the obstacles that affect entrepreneurial innovation within entities. Various factors related to various sources of information fostering innovation activities in an organization were also studied. Difference between the product innovation and process innovation was studied. Furthermore, organizational innovation and marketing innovation were also studied. Lastly, organizational innovation’s degree of observed effect in the organization was also studied. Cross-sectional analysis using realism as epistemological view was undertaken in this study. Deductive research approach along with web-based survey using descriptive research design is the research methods followed in this study. Tools for results’ analysis include descriptive analysis, Q–Q plots, KMO and Bartlett's test, factor analysis and Chi-square tests. The study concluded that enterprises need to work aggressively in the new product development, market opportunities, organization capabilities to ensure that the organizations grow. It is highlighted that process innovation and product innovation have effects on the economic performance of the organization. It does flag that the market innovations are linked with the ways the enterprises change, evolve and develop their fundamental capabilities, which are part of the organizational innovations. Also, the study showed that organizational innovation has greatly helped to improve the quality of the goods or services and reduced costs per unit output. The reduced time to respond to customer or supplier needs and improved employee satisfaction and/or reduced rates of employee turnover is also seen as a significant observed effect of entrepreneurial innovation. Managerial and theoretical implications along with Ideas for future research is also provided.

Learning to unlearn for transformative learning, an epistemological view

Learning to unlearn for transformative learning, an epistemological view

Immanuel Kant’s Epistemological Ideas from the Point of View of Exact Epistemology and Artificial Intelligence

In exact epistemology Immanuel Kant’s statement on the priority of application of cognitive faculties is detailed as an intellectual process. Empirical regularities of the JSM–method of automated support for research are synthetic a posteriori judgements. Theoretical intelligence is primary, and its aspects are understanding (Verstand) and mind (Gemüt). The conditions of possible experience in Kant’s sense are implemented in the JSM–method of ASR in intelligent systems. And the JSM–method itself is the transcendental logic of artificial intelligence using two theories of truth, the coherence theory and the correspondence theory. Exact epistemology, which is exact neo-Kantianism, can be naturally considered as a reflection of information society culture on its civilizational (technological) aspects.

From "The Outline of Feuerbach" to "Practice Theory"

The Outline of Feuerbach revolves around understanding the relationship between practice and the role of practice in social life. The central content of its discussion is practical issues. Marx introduced practice into the materialistic view of history and epistemology, and took it as the basis of epistemology, thoroughly criticized the intuitiveness and incompleteness of Feuerbach and all old materialism, which established the Marxist concept of practice. Mao Zedong's Theory of Practice is a positive innovation based on the Marxist practical point of view, centered on the dialectical unity of understanding and practice, puts forward the view of combining Marxism-Leninism with China's specific reality, and lays a philosophical foundation for the Communist Party of China's realistic ideological line.

Maxwell’s Early Unitary View of Electricity and Fluid Mechanics

In young Maxwell’s eyes, electricity, magnetism and fluid mechanics present analogies that let the first be mathematically grasped in a unitary way similarly to the latter. This entry sketches the first steps of James Clerk Maxwell’s unitary view of electromagnetism and fluid mechanics, with long-lasting effects on understanding the physical world. In his very first paper on the subject, Maxwell interpreted Faraday’s concept of lines of force of both electricity and magnetism as filaments of a flowing fluid. That is, Maxwell suggested to unify the previously distinct fields of electricity and magnetism, considering them as different aspects of the same entity, the ‘electromagnetic field’, which is mathematically described by four partial differential equations. In the literature there are several comprehensive works on Maxwell’s mature exposition of his theory; however, the aim of this entry contribution is rather more limited. Indeed, it is restricted to examining the contributions of Maxwell’s first paper towards developing the idea of electric current as the motion of an incompressible fluid. Thus, this entry highlights the strong connections of Maxwell’s epistemological view with the ‘mechanistic’ approach of the time to every aspect of physical phenomenology. For this purpose, this entry mentions some historical context surrounding the emergence of Maxwell’s innovative concepts.

MODERNIZATION CONCEPT AND SOCIAL IMAGINATION: METHODOLOGICAL NOTES

Since its inception, the theory of modernization has undergone so many transformations that it makes sense to speak of a «modernization discourse» rather than a theory and to consider the concept itself from the point of view of social epistemology in conjunction with social imagination. This paper is devoted to substantiating this approach. The concept of modernization is interesting in this regard because it contains not only hermeneutic but also prescriptive elements: by placing society in a broader historical framework of past, present and future, it creates a normative horizon for self-understanding and social transformation. It allows us to imagine our society as a historical whole, to imagine a social ideal and social development as a path towards it. At the same time, it appeals to the images of the social imagination - the social imaginary, depending on the context. A separate question, therefore, is what semantic load this concept receives when it is adopted by a different socio-cultural and political context. Such research could help to understand the internal logic of political processes in a society and its destiny. The paper consists of three subsections: the first is devoted to an overview of theories of modernization and their transformation under the influence of social epistemology; the second deals with the imagination as an anthropological a priori for considering social imagination; finally, the last subsection, which also serves as a conclusion, justifies why, given the purpose of the study, it is more appropriate to consider the concept of modernization in the context of the social imagination rather than as an ideology. The concept of ideology refers to political bias, to the question of truth and a critique of power discourse. In contrast, the concept of social imagination is politically neutral and refers to a cultural background of politics. It thus circumvents Man nheim’s paradox by being conceptualized as constitutive of a political order.