POLS 3180 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Thomas Kuhn, Conventionalism, Antipositivism

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 3180
• Professor: Edward Koning

Document Summary

There is a fundamental distinction between facts and values. Chart describing the differences between facts and values: Much critique has been leveled against the position that research should only occupy itself with facts. Political philosophers argue there is much merit in theorizing values such as justice. Non-positivists do not believe it is possible to keep values out of the conduct of research. Researchers" values influence their research projects in many areas, such as: Researchers" position in society influences their research. What researchers already (think they) know influences the research. Rosenthal effect (or pygmalion effect): research expectations influence outcomes of research project. Every observation we make we relate to previous knowledge and observations. Thomas kuhn (1962), the structure of scientific revolutions. Paradigm= a framework of intellectual assumptions and established practices , widely shared in an academic community. Paradigms influence what is studied, how it is studied, and how the findings are interpreted.