In this article, the authors clarify a framework for qualitative research, in particular for evaluating its quality, founded on epistemology, methodology, and method. They define these elements and discuss their respective contributions and interrelationships. Epistemology determines and is made visible through method, particularly in the participant— researcher relationship, measures of research quality, and form, voice, and representation in analysis and writing. Epistemology guides methodological choices and is axiological. Methodology shapes and is shaped by research objectives, questions, and study design. Methodologies can prescribe choices of method, resonate with particular academic disciplines, and encourage or discourage the use and/or development of theory. Method is constrained by and makes visible methodological and epistemic choices. If we define good quality qualitative research as research that attends to all three elements and demonstrates internal consistency between them, standardized checklists can be transcended and innovation and diversity in qualitative research practice facilitated.
This article delves into the epistemology inherent in Niklas Luhmann's theory of social systems, specifically focusing on the concept of cognition. The research question centers on how cognition functions within Luhmann’s theoretical framework, understood as a self-referential process in operationally closed systems. Luhmann argues that cognition emerges through layered observations, including observations of prior observations and recursive self-reflection. By situating Luhmann within the constructivist paradigm, the article contrasts his radical constructivism with other approaches and addresses critiques of his stance, particularly regarding the ontological implications of his epistemology. Drawing on frameworks such as poststructuralist correlationism, the article provides an introduction to Luhmann’s epistemological contributions while analyzing their broader philosophical relevance. Through conceptual elucidation and comparative analysis, it highlights how Luhmann’s sociological framework challenges foundational assumptions in epistemology and invites renewed reflection on the nature of knowledge and cognition.
This paper introduces the 88th issue of Rivista di Estetica, which is devoted to the epistemology of narrative knowledge. It points out that human abilities to tell and understand stories inform a peculiar kind of “narrative” epistemology, and explores its nature and role in shaping our view of the world and ourselves. Moreover, it presents the papers included in the issue, showing how wide the scope of narrative knowledge is.
Feminism provides a worldview with innovative possibilities for scholarship and activism on behalf of families and intimate relationships. As a flexible framework capable of engaging with contentious theoretical ideas and the urgency of social change, feminism offers a simultaneous way to express an epistemology (knowledge), a methodology (the production of knowledge), an ontology (one’s subjective way of being in the world), and a praxis (the translation of knowledge into actions that produce beneficial social change). Feminist family science, in particular, advances critical, intersectional, and queer approaches to examine the uses and abuses of power and the multiple axes upon which individuals and families are privileged, marginalized, and oppressed in diverse social contexts. In this paper, I embrace feminism as a personal, professional (academic), and political project and use stories from my own life to illuminate broader social-historical structures, processes, and contexts associated with gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, nationality, and other systems of social stratification. I provide a brief history and reflections on contemporary feminist theory and activism, particularly from the perspective of my disciplinary affiliation of feminist family science. I address feminism as an intersectional perspective through three themes: (a) theory: defining a critical feminist approach, (b) method: critical feminist autoethnographic research, and (c) praxis: transforming feminist theory into action. I conclude with takeaway messages for incorporating reflexivity and critical consciousness raising to provoke thought and action in the areas of personal, professional, and political change.
This article unravels the destructive practice of bribery, which is ingrained in South African culture. Through the scenarios in the public transport industry and literature review, the article reveals that indeed bribery is a reality to reckon with. It is observed in all tiers of society such as politics, businesses and religious circles. Bribery explained as a ‘brown envelope syndrome’ is rife in the South African socio-political landscape. The objective of this article is to enlighten the readers that bribery from socio-theological perspectives is ethically unacceptable. It promotes corrupt political accountability, economic inequality, social disrespect and religious hypocrisy. The article starts with personal scenarios and then delves into the definition of bribery as payment in a form of money, favours or gifts, to influence a decision, to receive favours in turn, facilitate fast delivery of goods, gain an unfair advantage, avoid legal prosecution or to supply substandard products or services. The second part of the artilce discusses how bribery clashes with Christian ethics as pointed by Jesus in Mark 7:21–22, as bribery lies buried in human hearts and manifests itself in different sins. There is a clear biblical condemnation of bribery as detestable, and that by all means possible, it should be proscribed. Bribery in political circles is known as ‘brown envelope’, which means the currency exchanges between the corrupt and the corrupted. Solutions suggested is that citizens in their national democracies should break out of the shell and become vocal against bribery. The church should emerge behind the trees and come up with prophetic discernment, wisdom and be vocal against bribery. Personally, those exposed to bribery situations must maintain wisdom and learn how to refuse offers without endangering themselves. This research unravels bribery and its devastating effects of promoting corrupt political accountability, economic inequality, social disrespect and religious hypocrisy.
Contribution: This article calls for communities and churches to be vocal against bribery and encourages personal accountability when confronted with bribery offers.
Interest in design methods and tools has been steadily growing in HRI. Yet, design is not acknowledged as a discipline with specific epistemology and methodology. Designerly HRI work is validated through user studies which, we argue, provide a limited account of the knowledge design produces. This paper aims to broaden current understanding of designerly HRI work and its contributions by unpacking what designerly knowledge is and how to produce it. Through a critical analysis of current HRI design literature, we identify a lack of work dedicated to understanding the conceptual implications of robotic artifacts. These, in fact, are implicit carriers of crucial HRI knowledge that can challenge established assumptions about how a robot should look, act, and be like. We conclude by discussing a set of practices desirable to legitimize designerly HRI work, and calling for further research addressing the conceptual implications designerly HRI work. CCS CONCEPTS •Human-centered computing ~ Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms • Computer systems organization ~ Robotic components
У статті розглядається проблема впливу феномену нудьги з творчості А.Шопенгауера на творчість М.Гайдеґґера. Вітчизняні і світові дослідники відмічають, що Шопенгауер є основоположником екзистенціалізму, хоча в історії філософії займає нішу філософії життя. Для розкриття концептів світу, волі та нудьги він використовує закони логіки, достатні раціональні підстави, основи сущого та вищі ідеї. Не можна сказати, що М.Гайдеґґер нехтує таким підходом, хоча б тому, що провідний метод дослідження традиції, – деструкція, – вводить його вчення до неї. За матеріалом статті аналізуються опозиції: метафізичне вчення про волю як річ у собі – свобода, тільки яка й здатна ставити питання до себе (у Шопенгауера людина керується мотивами до вольового акту; у Гайдеггера людина є носієм якості свободи); нудьга як апріорі настрій пізнання – нудьга як екзистенціальний настрій Dasein. Стаття має за свої задачі: 1) дослідження вчення про нудьгу з метою вияву в її структурі аспектів свободи; 2) дослідження паралелей, зв’язку і протилежностей в концепті людини, на яку орієнтовані світогляди Шопенгауера та Гайдеґґера в проблемі можливості пізнання буття. Зроблено висновки, що у творчості Гайдеґґера одного періоду нудьга є фундаментальним настроєм Dasein, який виражений актуальним часу життя М.Г. духом постіндустріального робітничого суспільства. За пізнішою версією – нудьга є певним способом буття-тут, який характеризується тотальним підходом до відкриття собі своєї справжності. Таким чином, Гайдеґґер далеко наперед закидує актуальність проблеми нудьги в її широкому значенні, яке перегукується з шопенгауерівським – рутина, щоденність, коло бажань і страждань, ведення не свого життя, das man. Результатом дослідження, який представляється у статті є розділення гайдеггерівських інтуїцій про нудьгу на дві окремі позиції. Перша залишається у шопенгауерівському дусі, коли вчення про сенси буття, головним настроєм якого є нудьга, сприймаються як засновки ведення життя людей типів da-sein і das man. Друга представляє розрив від екзистенціальної дисципліни до фундаментальної онтології, герменевтики фактичності, в темі якої глибинною нудьгою пояснюється тотальність (постійна доступність до можливостей бути через мислення).
E. V. Bakhmutskaya, O. P. Chernyavskaya, N. A. Volkova
Relevance. During a pandemic, the epidemiological well-being of the population of the whole world depends on the vaccination of each individual person, as cells of the immune layer. Only reliable and open information about adverse events after the use of vaccines, obtained in a timely manner in the process of continuous monitoring, can support the confidence and adherence of the population to vaccination.Aim. To assess the monitoring system for AEFI (Adverse Events Following Immunization) in the Russian Federation and other countries.Materials and methods. A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted with a review of regulatory and methodological documents, forms of federal statistical observation, information from the AIS «DRAID» (Analytical Information System «Department of registration and accounting of infectious diseases» program in Moscow, acts of investigation of post-vaccination complications, which were carried out by specialists from the branches of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in Moscow, sources: eLIBRARU.ru, cyberleninka.ru, information from WHO’s websites, Internet resources for monitoring AEFIs in different countries and websites of manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines, instructions for vaccines.Conclusion. Thus, it is almost impossible for an epidemiologist working in one of the departments that participates in the monitoring of AEFIs to conduct a full-fledged prospective and retrospective epidemiological analysis and draw unambiguous conclusions about the AEFIs based only on data from open sources and forms of state statistical observation. There is a need for interaction and exchange of information between the subjects of monitoring.
O artigo debate as disputas classificatórias contemporâneas em torno de figuras como Trump, Bolsonaro, Le Pen e afins. Sem pretender esgotar essa discussão demasiado ampla, faz-se aqui um balanço bibliográfico possível, apresentando e interrelacionando algumas interpretações. Começa introduzindo, de forma muito sintética e a partir do “Dicionário de conceitos políticos”, parte da bibliografia que define fascismo e populismo e pensa suas relações. Garantido esse entendimento básico, periodiza-se brevemente a extrema-direita no pós-guerra, apresentando suas tipologias e a atualidade do conceito de fascismo.Então, são apresentadas algumas interpretações que mobilizam um ou outro desses conceitos para definir lideranças e partidos contemporâneos como (neo)fascistas, pós-fascistas ou (neo)populistas. Constata-se que, não há consenso quanto ao uso dos conceitos nem para os casos clássicos nem para os atuais.
Epistemology. Theory of knowledge, History (General)
Na Bolívia, a pandemia da Covid-19 coincidiu com um período conflituoso em sua história: um governo de facto instalado sob a presidência da direitista Jeanine Áñez, após o golpe de estado de novembro de 2019 que forçou a renúncia de Evo Morales. A falta de legitimidade dos novos governantes e sua incapacidade de conter os contágios e cuidar da população provocaram uma crise sanitária de grandes proporções. Os sucessivos adiamentos das eleições presidenciais prometidas para 2020 acirraram o confronto entre o governo de Áñez e os partidários do Movimento ao Socialismo. O artigo descreve e analisa a complexa interação entre as questões sanitárias e a luta política que culminou com o regresso da esquerda ao comando do Estado, com a vitória de Luis Arce nas eleições de outubro de 2020.
Epistemology. Theory of knowledge, History (General)
This paper takes the social constructivist approach, formulated by Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann, as a starting point for an investigation into epistemology and theorizing in the contemporary study of religion. It discusses various strands of scholarship in dialogue with social constructivism and questions in particular the reductionism of radical constructivist positions. Exploring the boundaries of the classical social constructivist paradigm, the article argues that students of religion should consider the implication of social, historical, embodied and material structures in the production of knowledge about religion. For that purpose, it draws on various soft realist approaches to stress the importance of remaining attentive to positionality (reflecting on the sites from where we theorize) and contextuality (reflecting on the inter-relation of discourse and materiality) in theorizing “religion”. Finally, the article suggests that soft realist positions can be integrated in a slightly broadened social constructivist framework for the study of religion.
V. L. Stasenko, N. G. Shirlina, V. A. Shirinsky
et al.
The purpose of this study is to assess the dynamics of the incidence of prostate cancer in the Omsk region for the period 2006– 2017. Materials and methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of data from statistical reports (Form No. 7) of the Omsk Oblast health authorities for the period 2006–2017 was carried out. Results and its discussion. In the structure of oncological morbidity in the male population of the Omsk Region, the proportion of prostate cancer was 16.3% and was lower than the average Russian average (17%). In rural areas, compared with the regional center, higher rates of increase in the incidence of prostate cancer were observed (by 1.2 times). In general, the situation on the territory of the Omsk Region is similar to the global trend, characterized by an increase in the incidence of the male population of prostate cancer, which is a reflection of insufficient attention to primary cancer prevention, features of the socio-economic situation in the Russian Federation. Findings. 1. In the long-term dynamics of incidence of prostate cancer in the region for the period 2006–2017. there was a moderately pronounced upward trend in indicators (Tpr. = 3.94%; p < 0.05), with higher growth rates (1.2 times) in rural areas compared to the regional center (respectively, 3.56% and 3.04%; p < 0.001). 2. From 2006 to 2017 incidence of prostate cancer in the Omsk region increased 2.3 times in total (from 29.2 to 66.2 per 100 ths) and 1.8 times in standardized indicators (from 24.8 to 44.4 per 100 ths). 3. Despite the obvious relevance of the pathology, the prevalence of known risk factors for the development of prostate cancer in the Omsk Region has not been studied sufficiently, which requires scientific justification and improvement of approaches to primary prevention with regard to regional characteristics.
There are three theories in the epistemology of modality that have received sustained attention over the past 20 years (1998–2018): conceivability-theory, counterfactual-theory, and deduction-theory. In this paper we argue that all three face what we call the problem of modal epistemic friction (PMEF). One consequence of the problem is that for any of the three accounts to yield modal knowledge, the account must provide an epistemology of essence. We discuss an attempt to fend off the problem within the context of the internalism versus externalism debate about epistemic justification. We then investigate the effects that the PMEF has on reductive and non-reductive theories of the relation between essence and modality.
T. A. Semenenko, T. П. Gotvyanskaya, E. N. Kudryavtseva
et al.
The aim of the study was to determine the role of foreign citizens registered in Moscow region, in the maintenance of the epidemic process of measles, rubella and mumps based on the basis of their susceptibility to these infections and compare with the control group (residents of the Russia Central Federal District - donors of blood). Materials and methods. Examination included 909 samples of blood sera obtained from migrant workers and 939 blood donors (residents of the Central Federal district of Russia) which were tested for the presence of antibodies (IgG) to measles, rubella and mumps with the help of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Average relative density of seronegative persons among the surveyed migrants and donors to rubella virus ranged from 6.6 to 9.8%, the measles virus - 13.5 and 16.5%, respectively, statistically significant distinctions in groups were not established. The proportion of seronegative persons to mumps virus twice and more exceeded the standard documentation level among migrants and donors (32.5 and 47.5% respectively). Conclusion. There was a significant excess of the permissible level of seronegative persons to the measles, rubella and mumps viruses among migrant workers and blood donors, which creates preconditions for maintenance of epidemic process and dictates the necessity of carrying out the corrective vaccination (or revaccination) of non-immune persons