in social sciences, which is more important, questions or answers, in your opinion?
Amira Sabeg in my opinion, in the realm of social sciences, both questions and answers play indispensable roles in advancing knowledge, fostering critical thinking, and driving research forward. However, the relative importance of questions versus answers can vary depending on the context, objectives, and methodologies employed within different disciplines and research paradigms.
Amira Sabeg to explore further below, I explore the significance of both questions and answers in the social sciences:
Amira Sabeg while questions and answers are both integral components of the research process, their relative importance can vary depending on the stage of inquiry, the nature of the research problem, and the epistemological assumptions underlying a particular research paradigm. In some cases, the formulation of innovative and thought-provoking research questions may be prioritised as a means of pushing the boundaries of existing knowledge, challenging conventional wisdom, and fostering intellectual curiosity. In other instances, the generation of empirically robust answers may take precedence, as researchers seek to test hypotheses, validate theoretical propositions, and address practical concerns through rigorous data analysis and interpretation.
Ultimately, the symbiotic relationship between questions and answers lies at the heart of scientific inquiry in the social sciences. While questions drive the research process by posing intellectual puzzles and theoretical challenges, answers provide the means of addressing these inquiries through empirical investigation, critical analysis, and scholarly dialogue. By embracing the iterative and dynamic nature of this relationship, researchers can continue to push the frontiers of knowledge, deepen our understanding of social phenomena, and contribute to positive social change.
In a nutshell: answers or questions... It depends! Amira Sabeg I hope these reflections were useful!
Imo, Amira Sabeg , the right questions are most important; with respect to answers, they depend on the applied method, in terms of quantitative and/or
qualitative approaches.
It has also to be mentioned that I do not mean puzzle-solving here (as standard academic exercise), but real-world problem-solving, e.g. meeting unmet human needs by social entrepreneurship or replacing outdated linear economics by cyclical economic thought.
I was trained that social science is more of a soft science. When it comes to psychology, however, there is more and more evidence of hard science contributions. However, I believe that questions are the most important. Each person in each different situation may have a different answer. There are rarely hard line answers, and just the exploration of the question can sometimes be enough to satisfy the need to know.
Hard sciences are successful because they deal with the soft problems; soft sciences are struggling because they deal with the hard problems.
Hv Foerster
Emilie McCartney Smith Am in agreement with your evaluation of psychology.
There is only one question that, until answered, makes all others moot. - "What is THE (one) goal which societies should seek to solve?"
Another view is that each line of inquiry seems to have its own goal or what it considers "good". E.g, is it "good" to help the weak and infirm?
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Psychology