04:192:200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Metatheory, Axiology, Status Quo

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Communication
• Course: 04:192:200
• Professor: C R A I G Scott

Document Summary

Meta-theoretical commitments define different approaches to theory development and inquiry. Ontology: nature of reality/existence it becomes real when we give it a name . The social world is consisting of real entities, independent of an individual"s perception. The social world consists of names and labels we use to structure reality. We create the social world through an intersubjective process of communicative interaction. Epistemology: the creation and growth of knowledge (?"s of knowledge and truth) And then treat that as though it were real. Casual explanations of the social world are developed through separation of knower and known. Emergent and local understandings of the social world are developed through situated knowledge and reports of cultural insiders. Axiology: the role of values in theory development. Most theorists now reject the idea that values can be totally eliminated from the research process. Some scholars believe values only play a role in a few parts of the research process.