Assumptions: beliefs about phenomena that must be accepted as true in order to accept a theory as true. Differences are based on ontological and epistemological beliefs with 3 worldviews (paradigms):
Reaction:
- Humans are biopsychosocial, spiritual beings (sum of parts).
- Humans react to external environmental stimuli to create linear change.
- Change occurs for survival.
- Only objective phenomena can be isolated, observed, defined, measured & studied.
Reciprocal interaction:
- Humans are holistic parts viewed only in the context of the whole.
- Humans are active and interactions between human beings and their environment are
reciprocal. - Change is a function of multiple antecedent factions, is probabilistic, and may be continuous or for survival.
- Reality is multidimensional, context-dependent, and relative. Both subjective and objective data were collected.
Simultaneous action
- Humans are unitary and identified by their patterns.
- Humans are in mutual rhythmical interchange with their environment.
- Humans change continuously, unpredictably, and in the direction of more complex self-organization.
- The phenomenon of interest is personal knowledge and pattern recognition.
Discipline: the field of study or an inquiry characterized by unique phenomena, perspective, and a distinct way of viewing phenomena. 4 Characteristics of a discipline:
- Distinct perspective
- Determination of phenomena of interest –metaparadigm
- Philosophy (what questions to ask, what methods of study)
- Academic vs Professional vs Applied disciplines and research
There are 2 types of disciplines; Academic and Professional
- Academic disciplines (e.g., Art, history) their aim is “to know” so need only descriptive theories to describe what it is.
- Professional disciplines (e.g., nursing, medicine, law) are directed toward a practical aim that is valued and sanctioned by society and need not only descriptive theories but also prescriptive ones to achieve their practical aim.
Nursing is considered a professional discipline because it uses its knowledge to achieve a practical aim related to health but a professional discipline’s body of knowledge is separate from the activities of its practitioners. Discipline knowledge may include information not readily used in practice (e.g., knowledge of historical factors influencing the role of nurses)
Epistemology: the study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. 3 views of epistemology;
- Empiricism –Received View -> Objective -deductive (top-down logic)
- Post/positivist ->Objective & Subjective -deductive
- Perceived view -> Subjective -inductive (bottom-up logic)
Knowledge: understanding of or information about a subject which has been obtained by experience or study & the sum of what is known
Metaparadigm: the global concepts that define a discipline and the propositions that link them. Brings unity by summarizing the intellectual and social missions of the discipline. Metaparadigms are global propositions that state the relationship between concepts, which are: human beings, environment, health, nursing
Nursing Epistemology: 4 Ways of Knowing in Nursing by Carper:
- Empirics: the science of nursing
- Personal: knowledge of self and client
- Esthetics: the art of nursing
- Ethics: moral knowledge
3 ways by Schultz & Meleis: clinical, conceptual, & empirical
Ontology: the theory or study of being; i.e., the basic characteristics of all reality, can be single vs. multiple realities.
Paradigm: the prevailing network of science, philosophy, and theory accepted by a discipline
Phenomena: 4 Elements
- the subject matter of a discipline
- the subject of scientific interest
- an object to be studied, classified & analyzed
- an object known through the senses
Philosophy –a statement encompassing:
- the ontological claims about the phenomena of interest to a discipline
- epistemic claims about how those phenomena come to be known
- ethical claims about what the members of a disciplined value
Science: is a process and a product; Process-concerned with skills, strategies, and methods by which knowledge is developed and tested:
- Research is how we create science
- Inductive vs deductive
Product –unified body of knowledge that describes selected aspects of the universe:
- Concerned with a definite field of knowledge
- “body of knowledge” that describes selected aspects of the universe
- that “selected aspect” = the unique knowledge of the discipline
Scientific Knowledge: the empirical world that is systematically organized into ‘theories’
References
McEwen, M. (2002) Philosophy, science, and nursing. In M. McEwen, & E.M. Willis (Eds.) Theoretical basis for nursing. (pp. 3-22). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins
Barrett, E.A.M. (2002). What is nursing science? Nursing Science Quarterly, 15 (1), 51-60.
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