Beyond Paradigms in the Processes of Scientific Inquiry

ISBN-13: 9783639164244 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 228 str.

Peter Colbourne

Opis

This book is concerned with the process of beliefformation and change in one of the most importantareas of human endeavour - scientific inquiry - andthe paradigms that underpin that process. It isargued that scientific inquiry is driven by the sameneed for explanation that gives rise to all forms ofhuman inquiry. It is further argued that theperceptual and intellectual processes that form andguide scientific inquiry are no different from thosethat drive any other form. Examined in detail are theassumptions, or beliefs, that underlie and give formto our scientific endeavours, both historically and currently, and the fundamental impact thoseassumptions have on what phenomena we choose toexplore, how we explore those phenomena and how weinterpret what we find. This work undertakes a majorhistorical and conceptual analysis of the emergenceand development of the dominant scientific paradigmsin the Western tradition and identifies the genesisof a new and significant metaparadigm.

O autorze

The author was born and grew up in Wales. He graduated from
Cambridge University in 1972 with a BEd, emigrated to Australia
and worked extensively in education and community services. He
gained his MSc and PhD from Curtin University. Apart from
philosophy, his other passion is traditional Celtic music. He
plays violin and Irish whistle.