A Critique of the Philosophical Underpinnings

Seth Oppong

doi:10.7336/academicus.2014.10.17

Authors

Seth Oppong University of Botswana: Gaborone, South-East District, Botswana 0000-0003-1977-5538

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7336/academicus.2014.10.17

Abstract

The progress of the social science disciplines depends on conducting relevant research. However, research methodology adopted and choices made during the course of the research project are underpinned by varying ontological, epistemological and axiological positions that may be known or unknown to the researcher. This paper sought to critically explore the philosophical underpinnings of the social science research. It was suggested that a “multiversal” ontological position, positivist-hermeneutic epistemological position and value-laden axiological position should be adopted for social science research by non-western scholars as alternative to the dominant naïve realist, positivist, and value-free orientation. Against the backdrop of producing context-relevant knowledge, non-western scholars are encouraged to re-examine their philosophical positions in the conduct of social science research.

Keywords:

epistemology, ontology, axiology, social science research, indigenization

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References

Ake, C. (2012). Social Science as Imperialism. In H. Lauer and K. Anyidoho (Eds.), Reclaiming the Human Sciences and Humanities through African Perspectives (pp. 1–30). Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers.
Bergene, A. C. (2007). Towards A Critical Realist Comparative Methodology: Context-Sensitive Theoretical Comparison. Journal of Critical Realism, 6 (1), 5 – 27.
Breen, L., & Darlaston-Jones, D. (2008). Moving beyond the enduring dominance of positivism in psychological research: An Australian perspective. Paper presented at the 43rd Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference.
Cohen, L. Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). London: Routledge.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches (3rd ed.).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Gyekeye, K. (2003). African Cultural Values: An Introduction. Accra, Ghana: Sankofa Publishing Company.
Lawson, V.A. and Staeheli, L.A(1991). On critical realism, human geography and arcane sects! The Professional Geographer, 43(2), 231-233.
Mack, L. (2010). The Philosophical Underpinnings of Educational Research. Polyglossia, 19, 5 – 11.
Mate-Kole, C. C. (2013). Psychology in Ghana Revisited. Journal of Black Psychology, 39 (3) 316 –320.
Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2004). Culture and Psychology (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Ndhlovu, F. (2013). Vehicular Cross-Border Languages, Multilingualism and the African Integration Debate: A Decolonial Epistemic Perspective. Africanus: Journal of Development Studies, 43 (2), 13 – 33.
Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S. J. (2013). Perhaps Decoloniality is the answer? Critical Reflections on Development from a Decolonial Epistemic Perspective. Africanus: Journal of Development Studies, 43 (2), 1 – 12.
Oppong Asante, K. & Oppong, S. (2012). Psychology in Ghana. Journal for Psychology in Africa. 22(3), 473–478.
Oppong, S. (2013a). Indigenizing Knowledge for Development: Epistemological and Pedagogical Approaches. Africanus: Journal of Development Studies, 4 (2), 34 – 50. 1
Oppong, S. (2013b). Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Ghana. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 50 (3), 79 – 83.
Oppong, S. (Under Review). Towards the Development of a Pan-African Psychology: Making a Case through Psychological Testing in Ghana. Psychological Topics.
Oppong, S., Oppong Asante, K., & Kumaku, S. K. (2013). History, Development and Current Status of Psychology in Ghana. In C. S. Akotia and C.C. Mate-Kole (Eds). Contemporary Psychology: Readings from Ghana (pp. 1 – 17). Accra: Digibooks Ghana Ltd.
Osborn, M. & Smith, J.A. (1998).The personal experience of chronic benign lower back pain. British Journal of Health Psychology, 3, 65–83.
Padgett, D. K. (2004). The Qualitative Research Experience. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Pratt, A.C.(2009).Critical Realism/Critical Realist Geographies. In R. Kitchen and N. Thrift, International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, (Vol. 2), (pp. 379-384). Oxford, Elsevier.
Sayer, A. (1993). Postmodernist thought in Geography: a realist view. Antipode, 25 (4), 320-344.
Smith, J.A. (1996).Beyond the divide between cognition and discourse: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis in health psychology. Psychology and Health, 11, 261–271.
Smith, P. F., & Darlington, C. L. (1996). Epistemological realism in psychology: Kant or won’t? New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 25 (1), 13 – 20.
Teo, T. (2008). From Speculation to Epistemological Violence in Psychology: A Critical-Hermeneutic Reconstruction. Theory & Psychology, 18 (1) 47–67. DOI: 10.1177/0959354307086922.
Teo, T. (2010). What is epistemological violence in the empirical social sciences? Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4/5, 295-303. doi: 10.1111/j.1751- 9004.2010.00265.x.
Teo, T. (2011). Radical Philosophical Critique and Critical Thinking in Psychology. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 31 (3), 193 – 199.
Teo, T. (2012). Psychology is still a problematic science and the public knows it. American Psychologist, 67 (12), 807-808. [Comment] doi: 10.1037/a0030084.
Teo, T., & Febbraro, A. R. (2003). Ethnocentrism as a Form of Intuition in Psychology. Theory & Psychology, 13(5): 673–694.
Toohey, J. J. (1952/2007). Notes on Epistemology. Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Yankah, K. (2012). Globalisation and the African Scholar. In H. Lauer and K. Anyidoho (Eds.), Reclaiming the Human Sciences and Humanities through African Perspectives (pp.51–64). Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers.
Yeung, H. W-C. (1997). and realist research in human geography: a method or a philosophy in search of a method? Progress in Human Geography, 21 (1) 51 – 74.

References

Ake, C. (2012). Social Science as Imperialism. In H. Lauer and K. Anyidoho (Eds.), Reclaiming the Human Sciences and Humanities through African Perspectives (pp. 1–30). Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers.

Bergene, A. C. (2007). Towards A Critical Realist Comparative Methodology: Context-Sensitive Theoretical Comparison. Journal of Critical Realism, 6 (1), 5 – 27.

Breen, L., & Darlaston-Jones, D. (2008). Moving beyond the enduring dominance of positivism in psychological research: An Australian perspective. Paper presented at the 43rd Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference.

Cohen, L. Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). London: Routledge.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches (3rd ed.).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Gyekeye, K. (2003). African Cultural Values: An Introduction. Accra, Ghana: Sankofa Publishing Company.

Lawson, V.A. and Staeheli, L.A(1991). On critical realism, human geography and arcane sects! The Professional Geographer, 43(2), 231-233.

Mack, L. (2010). The Philosophical Underpinnings of Educational Research. Polyglossia, 19, 5 – 11.

Mate-Kole, C. C. (2013). Psychology in Ghana Revisited. Journal of Black Psychology, 39 (3) 316 –320.

Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2004). Culture and Psychology (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Ndhlovu, F. (2013). Vehicular Cross-Border Languages, Multilingualism and the African Integration Debate: A Decolonial Epistemic Perspective. Africanus: Journal of Development Studies, 43 (2), 13 – 33.

Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S. J. (2013). Perhaps Decoloniality is the answer? Critical Reflections on Development from a Decolonial Epistemic Perspective. Africanus: Journal of Development Studies, 43 (2), 1 – 12.

Oppong Asante, K. & Oppong, S. (2012). Psychology in Ghana. Journal for Psychology in Africa. 22(3), 473–478.

Oppong, S. (2013a). Indigenizing Knowledge for Development: Epistemological and Pedagogical Approaches. Africanus: Journal of Development Studies, 4 (2), 34 – 50. 1

Oppong, S. (2013b). Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Ghana. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 50 (3), 79 – 83.

Oppong, S. (Under Review). Towards the Development of a Pan-African Psychology: Making a Case through Psychological Testing in Ghana. Psychological Topics.

Oppong, S., Oppong Asante, K., & Kumaku, S. K. (2013). History, Development and Current Status of Psychology in Ghana. In C. S. Akotia and C.C. Mate-Kole (Eds). Contemporary Psychology: Readings from Ghana (pp. 1 – 17). Accra: Digibooks Ghana Ltd.

Osborn, M. & Smith, J.A. (1998).The personal experience of chronic benign lower back pain. British Journal of Health Psychology, 3, 65–83.

Padgett, D. K. (2004). The Qualitative Research Experience. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Pratt, A.C.(2009).Critical Realism/Critical Realist Geographies. In R. Kitchen and N. Thrift, International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, (Vol. 2), (pp. 379-384). Oxford, Elsevier.

Sayer, A. (1993). Postmodernist thought in Geography: a realist view. Antipode, 25 (4), 320-344.

Smith, J.A. (1996).Beyond the divide between cognition and discourse: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis in health psychology. Psychology and Health, 11, 261–271.

Smith, P. F., & Darlington, C. L. (1996). Epistemological realism in psychology: Kant or won’t? New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 25 (1), 13 – 20.

Teo, T. (2008). From Speculation to Epistemological Violence in Psychology: A Critical-Hermeneutic Reconstruction. Theory & Psychology, 18 (1) 47–67. DOI: 10.1177/0959354307086922.

Teo, T. (2010). What is epistemological violence in the empirical social sciences? Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4/5, 295-303. doi: 10.1111/j.1751- 9004.2010.00265.x.

Teo, T. (2011). Radical Philosophical Critique and Critical Thinking in Psychology. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 31 (3), 193 – 199.

Teo, T. (2012). Psychology is still a problematic science and the public knows it. American Psychologist, 67 (12), 807-808. [Comment] doi: 10.1037/a0030084.

Teo, T., & Febbraro, A. R. (2003). Ethnocentrism as a Form of Intuition in Psychology. Theory & Psychology, 13(5): 673–694.

Toohey, J. J. (1952/2007). Notes on Epistemology. Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Yankah, K. (2012). Globalisation and the African Scholar. In H. Lauer and K. Anyidoho (Eds.), Reclaiming the Human Sciences and Humanities through African Perspectives (pp.51–64). Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers.

Yeung, H. W-C. (1997). and realist research in human geography: a method or a philosophy in search of a method? Progress in Human Geography, 21 (1) 51 – 74.