This week we mainly talked and discussed about what a theory is. This topic was much easier to grasp and understand than previous themes, and less abstract and weird. Therefore I also found it harder to discuss since there was not as much to work with.
I think this was an important theme to discuss since so many people (including me) confuse the word theory with hypothesis and think they mean the same. Just like they are saying in the text “What theory is not” it is very hard to pin down exactly what it is. But basically, the conclusion from our seminar is that theory is an attempt at an explanation of why something is.
We also discussed what the main differences between a weak and a strong theory is. I had no idea that a theory could be weak or strong before this theme. After this theme I found that it is very hard to draw the line where a theory goes from weak to strong. It is a subjective evaluation of the theory. Though, one should always strive for a strong theory since a strong theory is always better than a weak theory. An example of a weak theory from the seminar is that when more ice cream is sold at the beach, more people get attacked by sharks. It is a weak theory because even though it may be true, correlation does not imply causation. A stronger theory would be for example that more people at the beach makes for a greater risk of shark attacks.
During the seminar we also discussed if we can know that a theory tells the truth. The answer given was that it is very hard or maybe impossible to obtain truth. Truth is a priori knowledge, other than that it is hard to talk about. We are constantly in different paradigms that sets the standard for what is considered legitimate contributions to a science. Therefore when a paradigm shift is happening a lot of theories can become untrue. An example of a paradigm shift is how we started thinking differently when we discovered that earth is not the center of the universe and that we are in fact orbiting around the sun.
A theory is very important to have since all data is already filtered and not objective. Data without a theory is useless. I think that this knowledge about what a theory is and how important it is would have been nice to have before I wrote my bachelor thesis.
Hey Arvid,
ReplyDeleteGreat post, it feels, although that you mention that 'it was hard to discuss' the topic of the theme, you've had several insights on the concept of theory. It was nice to read about what symbolizes a 'strong' or 'weak' theory as this was something that we didn't discuss during our seminar! I also agree with you that a theory communicate complete truths, it can just be seen as a 'more true or false' representation of the world as we know it at this point in time.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the theme was harder in a sense to discuss since it was practical, and you already had an idea of the concepts already, as opposed to the previous - more philosophical themes. However, you’ve written an interesting post where you discuss everything from the conundrum of “truth” and theory, to the notion of weak and strong theories. Also, the quote “data without theory is useless”, which you’ve stated in the text, speaks volumes of the importance of theories in research - and I agree that it is something one would’ve wanted before writing the Bachelor’s thesis. However, now at least you’ll have it before the Master’s thesis! Great text, keep up the good job.
Thanks for sharing us with your thought! I really enjoyed reading through your whole reflection of this week's lecture and seminar. Your reflection towards the concept of theory and the research are neatly written and hence interesting to read. I agree with most of your opinions and your effort in participating the lecture and the seminar could be easily seen. Good job!
ReplyDeleteHi Arvid,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your critical reflection of your chosen journal article by Kuo and Chang, and I totally agree with you that statistical data from Google Analytics is not enough to make any assumptions. As you stated, data without a theory is useless, because you need the theoretical framework to make sense out of it. All in all, good job!
Hi Arvid,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your critical reflection of your chosen journal article by Kuo and Chang, and I totally agree with you that statistical data from Google Analytics is not enough to make any assumptions. As you stated, data without a theory is useless, because you need the theoretical framework to make sense out of it. All in all, good job!
I was also confused about the difference between strong and weak theory. I think your explanation was good, and it helped me remember what differences there were. I agree that it can be hard to tell the difference, and I wonder what you think the different values are. Perhaps weak theory is better than no theory at all, in fact it probably is. It can maybe be used as a base for things we haven't discovered yet.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI think there are some objective ways to find out whether a theory is strong or weak, although not all do agree on what makes a theory strong or weak. For example, in itself a theory should provide a logical explanation as to why something has occured, and if there is no reasoning that explains all the steps of why something has happened, then the theory is not so strong.
Dear Arvid.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your explanation of a weak and a strong theory. The subject didn't come up during my discussion at the seminar so thank you for explaining. You mentioned the following phrase: "correlation does not imply causation". I believe this is vital to know. I remember this from my statistic class and how dangerous it can be to instantly assume that a correlation means a causation.
Waddup!
ReplyDeleteI also felt that this weeks theme was a lot easier to grasp than previous weeks! I also realized that I've been confusing theory and hypothesis and I think that a lot of others have been/are doing this as well. I like your explanation of weak and strong theory and I, like you, also hadn't thought about that theory can be weak or strong so that is something I've also learned during this week!
Great reflection! I think it is easy to follow how your thoughts and reflections have progressed during the theme. I think it is good that you bring up hypothesis since I also share the belief that many of the students in this course (including myself) had a quite hard time with understanding the difference between hypothesis and theory and also the significance that hypothesis can have when it comes to discussing what theory is.
ReplyDeleteIt’s the second time that I read the example of ice-cream and sharks. And the first time, I didn’t understand the point of the person. But with your explanation of weak and strong theories, it much clearer and more obvious. During the seminar and the lecture, I didn’t notice this interesting point about theories. Thanks to you, it’s done!
ReplyDeleteThank you for that!