V Exercises on Philosophy of Science

V Exercises on Philosophy of Science

The exercises on the Philosophy of Science are divided into two categories:

Exercise A applies to the student’s own discipline and research subject

Exercise B which require either or both a broader and a theoretical discussion

V 1 A) Choose a subject matter from your own discipline. What could the research aim be, if the research is based on:

a) rationalism

b) empiricism?

V 2 A) Choose a subject matter which you find interesting to research (e.g. the subject matter of your thesis). Formulate a research aim on the subject matter in a way that the process of the research would demand a starting point which is based on:

a) positivism

b) interpretivism

V 3 A) Choose a subject matter from your own discipline. Get to know the previous research on the subject matter. Which orientation of the philosophy of science is the basis for the knowledge produced by:

a) realism

b) relativism

If the previous research is made according to both orientations, discuss how the knowledge and the way the knowledge is produced differ in each of the orientations. If the previous research is not made according to either of the orientations, discuss why.

V 4 A) Choose a subject matter from your own discipline. Formulate a research aim on the subject matter in a way that the research project could be reasonably based on the following orientations of the Philosophy of Science:

a) pragmatism

b) hermeneutics

c) constructivism

d) phenomenology.

V 5 A) Choose a subject matter from your own discipline. Get to know the previous research on the subject matter. Which of the following orientations of the Philosophy of Science is the knowledge produced based on:

a) pragmatism

b) hermeneutics

c) constructivism

d) phenomenology

If the previous research was made according to some of these orientations, discuss how the knowledge and the way the knowledge is produced differ in the orientations. If the previous research was not made according to these orientations, discuss why.

V 6 A) Find out if any research projects exist, in your discipline, based on:

a) instrumentalism

b) structuralism

Describe the aims of the research projects. If none exist, discuss.

V 7 A) Choose a subject matter which you find interesting to research (e.g. the subject matter of your thesis). Formulate a research aim on the subject matter in a way that the research would be reasonable from the orientation of structuralism.

V 8 A) Choose a subject matter which you find interesting to research (e.g. the subject matter of your thesis). Formulate a research aim on the subject matter in a way that the conduction of the research would be reasonable from one of the following:

a) psychoanalytic theory

b) post-structuralism

c) deconstructivism

d) social constructionism

V 9 A) Find out if any research studies exist in your discipline, which are based on existentialism. If there are, describe their research aims and if there are not any, discuss why.

V 10 A) Choose a subject matter which you find interesting to research (e.g. the subject matter of your thesis). Which kinds of data collection methods are reasonable to use for research based on social constructivism .

V 11 B) Discuss how positivism and interpretivism differ ontologically and epistemologically from each other.

V 12 B) Discuss how the ways of producing knowledge differ between:

a) hermeneutics

b) constructivism

c) phenomenology.

V 13 B) Discuss which data analysis methods are based on the following orientations in the Philosophy of Science:

a) pragmatism

b) hermeneutics

c) constructivist

d) phenomenological.

V 14 B) Discuss the relationship of instrumentalism and structuralism to pragmatism as orientations in the Philosophy of Science.

V 15 B) Discuss which kind of humanistic research could be based on instrumentalism.

V 16 B) Find out how empiricism as an orientation in the philosophy of science formed as a critique of rationalism.

V 17 B) Find out which kinds of rationalism and empiricism exist as orientations in the Philosophy of Science.

V 18 B) Discuss which kinds of ontological and epistemological points of view are included in the concept of postmodernism. Which orientations in the circle of the Philosophy of Science are linked to the concept of

postmodernism?

V 19 B) During recent decades, humanistic research has been characterized by various ‘turns’. These turns are, for example, called: linguistic turn, narrative turn, cultural turn and pictorial turn. Find out how these turns have influenced scientific thinking in humanities. Discuss what kind of philosophical changes these turns reflect.

V 20 B) Discuss which positions a researcher forms in a research project based on

a) psychoanalytical theory

b) post-structuralism

c) deconstruction

d) social constructionism

d) existentialism.