Blogs I have read and commented for theme 3:
8) http://meglia.blogspot.com/2015/09/post-theme-3.html?showComment=1443547023701#c7082982831859440275
2015-09-28
Theme 3 (Post): Research and theory
For
the third theme “Research and theory” of the course we had to read excerpts of
Shirley Gregor’s "The Nature of Theory in Information Systems” and Robbert
I. Sutton and Barry M. Staw’s “What Theory is Not”. Furthermore we had to
select and critically examine a high quality research paper in order to prepare
ourselves for the lecture. Due to its diversity and quantity the preparation of
the third theme took by far the longest time compared to the first and second
theme. In addition to the readings I researched on the internet in order to
find out more about the questions, which were asked to us. Due to the “dry
nature” of theme three it was challenging to me to stay focused towards the
tasks.
The
lecture of Leif Dahlberg was very good structured and we have received a lot of
information were presented to us via a presentation. However, it was quite
difficult to me to read at the same time the slides of the presentation,
listening to the teacher and taking notes and hence I sometimes lost the
thread. That’s why I decided to focus on taking notes and rereading them after
the lecture to get a proper understanding of the topic, which definitely was a
good decision for me. However and despite the notes the difference between a
hypothesis and a theory was still not totally clear to me. Besides the
presentation we had a discussion in smaller groups about “What is man?” which
showed me how difficult it is to identify an object with a set of propositions.
The teacher explained after the discussion that this construct is a theory and
shall exist in order to describe, explain and enhance understanding of the
world. The discussion was very useful to get the main idea of what a theory is
and how complex it is to develop one.
During
the seminar we were again divided into smaller groups where we discussed our
understanding of the lecture and the papers, which we had selected to read. In my case I explained why I think that the authors used the theory type "analysis" and supported my reasoning with examples out of the paper. As my group members had the same urge to discuss
the difference between hypothesis and theory we spent the biggest share of our
time on this topic. Once the groups were back together we discussed together
with Ilias Bergström and came to the conclusion that a theory is based on facts
and a hypothesis can be seen as a sort of pre-stage of a theory and an attempt
to explain phenomena. Hence, a theory is the result of testing a hypothesis and
creating an explanation that is assumed to be “correct”. I think it can be said
that a successful hypothesis, i.e. a hypothesis which is confirmed by testing,
is replaced by a theory. Furthermore, it was very interesting to hear from
Ilias Bergström that the two papers which we had to read have no generally
valid approach and are put in the respective context. For example Shirley
Gregor’s "The Nature of Theory in Information Systems” is about theory put
into the context of information systems. This helped me to understand that a
field like “Research and theory” is too complex to enable universal theories,
as one valid theory in one context is potentially not valid in another context
and hence the view heavily dependent on one’s academic discipline.
Reflections on blog posts - Theme 2
2015-09-25
Theme 4 (Pre): Quantitative research
I selected the paper “Web Third-person effect in structural aspects of the
information on media websites” by Nikos Antonopoulosa, Andreas Veglisa, Antonis
Gardikiotisc, Rigas Kotsakisb and George Kallirisb from the Journal of
Computers in Human Behaviour with an impact factor of 2,694.
Which quantitative method or methods are used in the
paper? Which are the benefits and limitations of using these methods?
The quantitative method used in the paper is the survey method with 9150 collected questionnaires with a unique Internet Protocol address (IP) and with an age range from 10 to 79 years.
As surveys allow researchers to collect data from very large samples for a relatively low cost, surveys provide a high level of statistically significant results. Compared to other methods, surveys eliminate subjectivity as they provide all participants with a standardized stimulus. Furthermore, Surveys can be administered to the participants through a variety of ways. The questionnaires can simply be sent via e-mail or fax, or can be administered through the Internet.
A significant limitation of surveys is that it cannot be changed any longer once it has been sent out. Furthermore surveys are not ideal for questions that bear controversies as the answers may not be very precisely answered by the participants because of the difficulty of connect the information related to them. As the researcher is forced to create questions that are general enough to accommodate the general population, the questions may not be as appropriate for all the participants as they should be [1].
The quantitative method used in the paper is the survey method with 9150 collected questionnaires with a unique Internet Protocol address (IP) and with an age range from 10 to 79 years.
As surveys allow researchers to collect data from very large samples for a relatively low cost, surveys provide a high level of statistically significant results. Compared to other methods, surveys eliminate subjectivity as they provide all participants with a standardized stimulus. Furthermore, Surveys can be administered to the participants through a variety of ways. The questionnaires can simply be sent via e-mail or fax, or can be administered through the Internet.
A significant limitation of surveys is that it cannot be changed any longer once it has been sent out. Furthermore surveys are not ideal for questions that bear controversies as the answers may not be very precisely answered by the participants because of the difficulty of connect the information related to them. As the researcher is forced to create questions that are general enough to accommodate the general population, the questions may not be as appropriate for all the participants as they should be [1].
What did you learn about quantitative methods from
reading the paper?
To be honest, and as I did already an online survey for my bachelor thesis I was quite familiar with the quantitative method “surveys” and hence more refreshed my knowledge rather than learning something new. What was most interesting for me to read was that the exclusion criteria was combined by the participant’s age below and personal monthly income to eliminate the potential false statement.
To be honest, and as I did already an online survey for my bachelor thesis I was quite familiar with the quantitative method “surveys” and hence more refreshed my knowledge rather than learning something new. What was most interesting for me to read was that the exclusion criteria was combined by the participant’s age below and personal monthly income to eliminate the potential false statement.
Which are the main methodological problems of the
study? How could the use of the quantitative method or methods have been
improved?
I would say that the main methodological problem in this study is the
classification into the five age groups 10–20, 21–30, 31–40, 41–50, 51+ as such
an classification excludes important aspects of developmental psychology and
human development processes. As the research paper examines the user’s
behaviour users when visiting a media website as wells as the prediction of the
impact on oneself, friends and others an eleven year old pre-pubertal boy will
not share the same characteristics as a 20 year old post-pubertal adult.
Text: “Drumming in Immersive Virtual Reality: The Body
Shapes the Way We Play”?
By reading the text I learned that the immersion in virtual realities can have way more potential apart from pure gaming and hence can possibly be used for educational purposes.
By reading the text I learned that the immersion in virtual realities can have way more potential apart from pure gaming and hence can possibly be used for educational purposes.
Which are the benefits and limitations of using quantitative methods?
Quantitative approaches are best used to answer what, when and who questions. Under the precondition that the selection process is well-designed and a representative sample is given, findings of quantitative methods can be generalised. Thus, data of quantitative methods are very precise, consistent and reliable.
In contrast, quantitative methods are not well suited when it comes to how and why questions. When using quantitative methods is difficult to understand the context of a phenomenon. Furthermore, it could be also the case that the data may not be robust enough to explain complex issues [2, 4].
Quantitative approaches are best used to answer what, when and who questions. Under the precondition that the selection process is well-designed and a representative sample is given, findings of quantitative methods can be generalised. Thus, data of quantitative methods are very precise, consistent and reliable.
In contrast, quantitative methods are not well suited when it comes to how and why questions. When using quantitative methods is difficult to understand the context of a phenomenon. Furthermore, it could be also the case that the data may not be robust enough to explain complex issues [2, 4].
Which are the benefits and limitations of using qualitative methods?
Qualitative
methods providing researchers with more detailed information directly from the
source in order to explain complex issues. [5]. It can be said that qualitative
methods complementing and refining quantitative data. Furthermore, qualitative
research has also multiple methods to offer for gathering data on sensitive
subjects.
However,
when using qualitative methods findings usually cannot be generalised. The
analysis of data is also more difficult compared to quantitative data as
standard categories cannot be called in [2, 4].
[1] Sarah
Mae Sincero (2012). Advantages and Disadvantages of Surveys. Available at https://explorable.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-surveys
(Accessed: 24 September 2015).
[2} betterthesis.dk. Lesson 1: Different approaches to research: strengths and limitations. Available at http://betterthesis.dk/research-methods/lesson-1different-approaches-to-research/strengths-and-limitations#sthash.IzTVp3S1.dpuf (Accessed: 24 September 2015).
[3] Sagepub.com. Introduction to quantitative research. Available at: http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/36869_muijs.pdf (Accessed: 24 September 2015).
[4] Rubin, A. & Babbie, E. (2009). Essential Research Methods for Social Work.
[5] Mack, N. & Woodsong, C. (2005). Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector's Field Guide.
[2} betterthesis.dk. Lesson 1: Different approaches to research: strengths and limitations. Available at http://betterthesis.dk/research-methods/lesson-1different-approaches-to-research/strengths-and-limitations#sthash.IzTVp3S1.dpuf (Accessed: 24 September 2015).
[3] Sagepub.com. Introduction to quantitative research. Available at: http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/36869_muijs.pdf (Accessed: 24 September 2015).
[4] Rubin, A. & Babbie, E. (2009). Essential Research Methods for Social Work.
[5] Mack, N. & Woodsong, C. (2005). Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector's Field Guide.
2015-09-21
Theme 2 (Post): Critical media studies
For
the second theme “Critical media studies” of the course we were asked to read Benjamin's
essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Technical Reproductivity" and
two chapters of Adorno and Horkheimer’s “Dialectic of Enlightenment” in order
to prepare ourselves for the lecture. The two readings were a lot better to
read - compared to the readings of the first theme - however it took still a
considerable period of time and rereading of certain passages to understand the
texts and their meaning. As already did for the first theme I investigated on
the internet and discussed with the fellow students of my programme to compare
our understanding. Furthermore, I also tried to put the two texts into
historical context, which was inspired by a theme 1 reflection of a fellow
student I have read during the week. After the reading were less gaps of
understanding than after the readings of theme 1 and so I looked forward to the
lecture and seminar group in order to close them completely.
The lecture about critical media studies of Henrik Åhman was well structured and thus easy to follow. We learned that Benjamin’s and Adorno and Horkheimer’s texts differ pretty much in historical context, despite the fact that “Dialectic of Enlightenment” was only eight years later published than "The Work of Art in the Age of Technical Reproductivity" in 1944. This is due to the fact that Benjamin wrote his work during the uprising Nazi regime in contrary to Adorno and Horkheimer writing “Dialectic of Enlightenment” in their exile in the USA.
The lecture about critical media studies of Henrik Åhman was well structured and thus easy to follow. We learned that Benjamin’s and Adorno and Horkheimer’s texts differ pretty much in historical context, despite the fact that “Dialectic of Enlightenment” was only eight years later published than "The Work of Art in the Age of Technical Reproductivity" in 1944. This is due to the fact that Benjamin wrote his work during the uprising Nazi regime in contrary to Adorno and Horkheimer writing “Dialectic of Enlightenment” in their exile in the USA.
Furthermore,
we listened to a detailed historical review how and why the era of enlightenment
began in the 16th and 17th century and its development until Adorno, Horkheimer
and Benjamin, which lead us to the “Concept of Enlightenment” by Adorno and
Horkheimer. As the thesis "Myth is already enlightenment, and enlightenment
reverse to myth” was a bit unclear to me after the reading I understood during the lecture that myth deals with fear and problems of unknown through gods. Enlightenment
takes this explanation to extreme in the way which nothing that cannot be
measured is left in general and thus is rather a form of taking relation
between myth and unknown to an extreme degree. After the break we discussed the
concept of dialectic and futurism and ended up in a discussion how aesthetics
and media influenced people during fascism and communism.
During the seminar we were divided into smaller groups, where we discussed our individual answers to the readings. To answer the question “What nominalism is” took us the longest time as it was quite challenging in the first place to keep the “logical thinking” of ours away. Finally, we understood the concept and its importance as it forces us to individuals and hence we never get the vision only the basis, which helps to evaluate hierarchical structures. Furthermore, we discussed the relationship between mass media and enlightenment and Adorno and Horkeimer’s view that through its implicit deceptiveness, mass media creates non-changeable role models in the mind of societies, e.g. boss =male secretary = pretty and female. Afterwards we discussed what superstructure and substructure is and learned that according to Marx it is impossible to change the ideology of a society (superstructure) with ideas, but with work . This can be seen by the changed perception of worker’s since the implementation of an eight hour working day. The final discussion topic was “natural and historical perception” resulting in Benjamin’s statement that there is not something like better or worse culture, art etc. only different and hence we should allow diversity as everything changes over time.
During the seminar we were divided into smaller groups, where we discussed our individual answers to the readings. To answer the question “What nominalism is” took us the longest time as it was quite challenging in the first place to keep the “logical thinking” of ours away. Finally, we understood the concept and its importance as it forces us to individuals and hence we never get the vision only the basis, which helps to evaluate hierarchical structures. Furthermore, we discussed the relationship between mass media and enlightenment and Adorno and Horkeimer’s view that through its implicit deceptiveness, mass media creates non-changeable role models in the mind of societies, e.g. boss =male secretary = pretty and female. Afterwards we discussed what superstructure and substructure is and learned that according to Marx it is impossible to change the ideology of a society (superstructure) with ideas, but with work . This can be seen by the changed perception of worker’s since the implementation of an eight hour working day. The final discussion topic was “natural and historical perception” resulting in Benjamin’s statement that there is not something like better or worse culture, art etc. only different and hence we should allow diversity as everything changes over time.
2015-09-18
Theme 3 (Pre): Research and theory
Select a
research journal that you believe is relevant for media technology research.
The journal should be of high quality, with an “impact factor” of 1.0 or above.
Write a short description of the journal and what kind of research it
publishes.
I selected
the journal “Social Networks – An International Journal of Structural
Analysis”, which is an interdisciplinary and international quarterly. The
journal has an impact factor of 2.000 and publishes theoretical and substantive
papers with a focus on social relations and associations that may be expressed
in network form. Main research fields are social behaviour, social networks and
social structure.
Select a
research paper that is of high quality and relevant for media technology
research. The paper should have been published in a high quality journal, with
an “impact factor” of 1.0 or above. Write a short summary of the paper and
provide a critical examination of, for example, its aims, theoretical framing,
research method, findings, analysis or implications.
Summary:
I chose the
research paper “Twitter users change word usage according to
conversation-partner social identity”. The authors Nadine Tamburrini, Marco
Cinnirella, Vincent A.A. Jansen and John Bryden investigated how people express
social identity on a social network. Former studies have shown that expression
of social identity is often strongly context dependent. This means that the
language which people use within social groups is showing a convergence of
behaviour. However, the former studies looked only at specific groups or social
situations on a relative small scale. Due to its network size and the publicly
accessible nature the research paper used the social network “Twitter” as
object of their analysis to gain a considerable statistical power. The research
paper asked if individuals shifted their linguistic behaviour according to
which social group they are messaging and if this level of language variation
for a community correlated with how strongly linked a community is within
itself. The data of online communities that the authors used came from a
previous study of the Twitter website (Bryden et al.,2013) and comprised
189.000 Twitter users. The authors found out that users adjust word usage
according to the community of their dialogue partner. Furthermore, they found
evidence that the more a group was isolated from the rest of the network the
more it showed linguistic convergence. These findings echoes other studies of
linguistic variation within and between groups and the idea that communities
may develop unique linguistic styles.
Critical
examination:
* Are the
data valid and reliable representations of the empirical reality they attempt
to capture?
The
research paper was based on data with a date range of January 2007 to November
2009. For a publication in January 2015 and due to the fast changing
environment of social networks the data could be more up to date in order to
get more reliable results.
* What is
the significance of this research?
According
to the authors the significance of this research is the scale at which this
study took place as previous have looked at convergence did not find
significance with sample sizes on a small scale. In my view the significance of
this research is not very significant as it only indicates that future studies
on social identity, social behaviour and cooperation are likely to prove
fruitful on large scale as the results were compatible with prior studies.
* What
might you have done differently?
I wouldn’t
have used Twitter as basis for this research paper as the messages are very
limited with a maximum of 140 characters. As Facebook has already implemented
its tagging function within comments in September 2009 an empirical analysis of
more current data with an increased expressiveness might have increased the
significance of the whole research paper.
1) Briefly explain to a first year
university student what theory is, and what theory is not.
Gregor
distinguishes five different types of theory. According to his nature of theory
in information systems there are the following types of theory existing:
1: theory
for analysing
2: theory
for explaining
3: theory
for predicting
4: theory
for explaining
5: theory
for design and action
However,
and as these distinctions might be not plausibly to a first year university
student I would describe theory as a mean to structure complexity and
abstractness in order to let phenomena of interests fall into patterns, resulting in a collection of results and conclusions.
2) Describe the major theory or theories
that are used in your selected paper. Which theory type (see Table 2 in Gregor)
can the theory or theories be characterized as?
The major
theory which was used in “Twitter users change word usage according to
conversation-partner social identity” is theory type I. “Analysis”. The
research paper provides a clear description of how people express social
identity at a large scale on a social network and its aim is to gain
statistical power. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates the power of methods
which analyse subtle human behaviour on social networks and thus it is never
leaving the thematic field of analysis and description.
3) Which
are the benefits and limitations of using the selected theory or theories?
In my view
the limitation of theory type I. “Analysis” is that the research only creates
the base, without creating new insights and perspectives. Thus, it is a
preliminary stage for the other theory types, except for theory type V. “Design
and Action”.
Due to its
sole focus on analysis and subsequent on description theory type I. can bring out
findings what have been undiscovered respectively unperceived. The concentration on investigating avoids an incomplete evaluation of a situation. Thus, it is maybe sometimes better to be master of one trade, and not a joker of all.
2015-09-16
Reflections on blog posts - Theme 1
Blogs I have read and commented for theme 1:
2) http://oscarlimback.blogspot.se/2015/09/after-thelecture-and-seminary-last-week.html?showComment=1442397707212
3) http://reb2572.blogspot.se/2015/09/post-theme-1.html?showComment=1442398360245#c1223964790239877207
4) http://denise-theoryandmethod.blogspot.se/2015/09/theme-1-theory-of-knowledge-and-theory_12.html?showComment=1442404586456#c208108878287742624
3) http://reb2572.blogspot.se/2015/09/post-theme-1.html?showComment=1442398360245#c1223964790239877207
4) http://denise-theoryandmethod.blogspot.se/2015/09/theme-1-theory-of-knowledge-and-theory_12.html?showComment=1442404586456#c208108878287742624
5) http://meglia.blogspot.se/2015/09/post-theme-1.html?showComment=1442405749218#c7330720937867232020
6) http://amlinden.blogspot.se/2015/09/0-0-1-266-1411-kth-11-3-1674-14.html?showComment=1442406533381
2015-09-14
Theme 1 (Post): Theory of knowledge and theory of science
For the first theme "Theory of
knowledge" of the course we were asked to read Plato's Theatetus and the preface of Immanuel Kants "Critique of
Pure Reason" in order to prepare ourselves for the lecture. The
two readings took a considerable time of time and rereadings to understand the
main ideas in the texts. Especially Kant's
Critique of Pure Reason was
quite challening. Besides the reading I investigated on the internet and
discussed with the students of my programme their views about the texts.
However, ther were still significant gaps of misunderstanding, especially in
regards to a priori and a posteriori knowledge.
In the lecture about the theory of
knowledge we discussed among others the differences between naturalism and
scientism, the definition
of primary and secondary qualities and
the ideal of objectivity.
This lead us to Kant’s
copernican revolution and
thus to the finding that a self-evident
conception of knowledge is
after this revolution not any longer a valid standpoint as our knowledge cannot
be solely constrained to mathematics and the science of the natural, empirical
world. However, Kant’s key claim was that judgment enables us to distinguish
objective connections of representations that necessarily belong together from
merely subjective experience.
However, after two thirds of the lecture it was difficult to follow and so I
did not fully understand the concept
of categories and how a priori and a posteriori knowledge is relevant in this context.
During the seminar we were divided
into groups of four people in which we discussed and compared the individual
views formed by the readings and the lecture. The main discussion topics within
our group were about “the understanding of a priori and a posteriori
knowledge” and the role of Kant’s
categories, i.e. the table
of judgments. At the end of the seminar it was clear to me that categories are structured
characteristics of an
appearance before it has been experienced and that they are something we do not
know that we know, i.e. a
priori knowledge. After the seminar I was able to arrange the things heard,
read and discussed and figured out that our mind is able to constitute the
impressions of sensory experience through the structured table of judgments, only
limiting the mind’s access to the so called forms
of intuition: space and time –
also a priori knowledge - resulting in a posteriori knowledge, i.e.
knowledge depending on experience.
2015-09-12
Theme 2 (Pre): Critical media studies
Dialectic
of Enlightenment
1. What is "Enlightenment"?
Enlightenment
can be understood in the widest sense as the advance of the thought with its
main purpose to disenchant the world. Its aim is to "clear up"
humanity and hence replacing fantasies and myths with knowledge. A guideline which can be followed is that anything
which can't be resolved into numbers is just an illusion. Furthermore, enlightenment
want to liberate human beings from fear and installing them as masters.
2. What is "Dialectic"?
Dialectic
serves the establishment of truth. It is a method with its instrument of
"rational debates" aiming to find the truth. Dialectic
investigates the correctness of falseness and hence creates the truth.
Ultimately, this means that each thing is what it is only by becoming what it
is not.
3. What is "Nominalism" and
why is it an important concept in the text?
Nominalism
is a philosophical tendency according to which general or abstract terms and
predicates exist, while it denies the existence of universal and abstract
objects. It is an important concept in the text as nominalism goes hand in hand
with the above mentioned enlightenment "anything which can't be resolved
into numbers is an illusion". As Nominalism denies the existence of
universal and abstract objects and only allows the existence of abstract terms
and predicates, it can arise injustice while observing the world based on
abstract terms and predicates, due to the deny of the existence of universal
objects and abstracts. Historically this can be seen in the example
"National Socialism", in which the denied universal and abstract
objects where used by Hitler and not questioned by the society.
4. What is the meaning and function of
"myth" in Adorno and Horkheimer's argument?
Prior to the
enlightenment "myth" were the explanation to everything. With the arrival of the enlightenment, myths and fantasies were replaced with knowledge. Enlightenment
has furthermore its ideal in the system from which everything is following, but
misses out that there must be something given at one point. This existence
tries enlightenment to fight, without noticing that through this fight it is
going more and more back to mythology, from which it has never been able to
escape.
"The
Work of Art in the Age of Technical Reproductivity"
1. In the beginning of the essay,
Benjamin talks about the relation between "superstructure" and
"substructure" in the capitalist order of production. What do the
concepts "superstructure" and "substructure" mean in this
context and what is the point of analyzing cultural production from a Marxist
perspective?
A superstructure is a structure, which is developing more slowly than the
structure of a substructure. Where the substructure produces all sorts of
products - in this context for example films, photographs and/or paintings -
the superstructure is not directly linked to the production of products. However the
substructure can be seen as the base of the superstructure, which shapes a certain
ideology of the superstructure (e.g. Culture and/or Media).
As the
substructure and superstructure are heavily depending on each other, i.e.
shaping and maintaining each other, a rise of a new technology (e.g.
photography) will drastically transform the superstructure (e.g. Culture and
Media) through the output of the substructure. Subsequently, the change of ideology in the superstructure influences the substructure and
thus a technological invention can have strong impacts on the art
in its "traditional form".
2. Does culture have revolutionary
potentials (according to Benjamin)? If so, describe these potentials. Does
Benjamin's perspective differ from the perspective of Adorno & Horkheimer
in this regard?
Culture
definitely has revolutionary potentials according to Benjamin. Through its
ability to display both artistic and scientific use - which usually were
separated - the photography for example has for Benjamin revolutionary
potential. Adorno and
Horkheimer however believe more in the revolutionary power of technology.
3. Benjamin discusses how people
perceive the world through the senses and argues that this perception can be
both naturally and historically determined. What does this mean? Give some
examples of historically determined perception (from Benjamin's essay and/or
other contexts).
In the
fifth century there was a new kind of perception developed. This was noticed by
Riegl and Wickhoff in the 19th century, were they showed the significant,
formal hallmark which characterized perception in late Roman times. However,
the social transformations expressed by these changes of perception weren't
shown at that time by them. Nevertheless, this is a good example how
historical perception is working in contrary to the natural perception, which
is the perception we have through our own senses.
4. What does Benjamin mean by the term
"aura"? Are there different kinds of aura in natural objects compared
to art objects?
Aura can be
defined as the unique phenomena of a distance, however close it maybe. As aura is tied to presence and as there can be no replica of it, it
vanishes as soon it is reproduced. An art object which misses authenticity, misses also presence and thus let vanish the aura, whereas no natural object is vulnerable to this.
2015-09-06
Theme 1 (Pre): Theory of knowledge and theory of science
1. In the preface to the second edition of
"Critique of Pure Reason" (page B xvi) Kant says: "Thus far it
has been assumed that all our cognition must conform to objects. On that
presupposition, however, all our attempts to establish something about them a
priori, by means of concepts through which our cognition would be expanded,
have come to nothing. Let us, therefore, try to find out by experiment whether
we shall not make better progress in the problems of metaphysics if we assume
that objects must conform to our cognition." How are we to understand
this?
2. At the end of the discussion of the definition "Knowledge is perception", Socrates argues that we do not see and hear "with" the eyes and the ears, but "through" the eyes and the ears. How are we to understand this? And in what way is it correct to say that Socrates argument is directed towards what we in modern terms call "empiricism"?
The dialogue between Socrates, Theatetus and Theodorus discusses the core question what knowledge is and how knowledge can be defined. In the conversation, which is mostly held between Socrates and Theatetus, describes Socrates himself as a midwife to men, who extracts theories from the wisdom of another and thus bringing their ideas to birth. As such a midwife Socrates clarifies that Theatetus needs persistence as well as the ability to deal with critiques in order to gain a "true-birth", i.e. a theory which proves to be coherent. Due to Theatetus approval Socrates, Theodorus and he discussing three different definitions of knowledge (knowledge as perception, knowledge as true opinion and knowledge as true opinion accompanied by explanation) which were still not coherent in the end. However and taking into consideration that all three definitions were proved to be unfound by one means or another the third definition made clear that knowledge does not consist in impressions of sense, but in reasoning about them, i.e. hearing or seeing with ears respectively eyes would be pure perception. In contrast, includes hearing or seeing through ears respectively eyes the reasoning about the things heard and seen. As empiricism emphasizes the role of experience and evidence, especially sensory experience, in the formation of ideas, over the notion of innate ideas or traditions (Baird, From Plato to Derrida 2008), Socrates' argument demonstrates very clear that pure perception is insufficient to achieve knowledge and thus his argument is strongly linked to the theory of empiricism.
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