A Discussion of Philosophical Problems Which Impede Progress in Environmental Design and Research

Abstract

There are two long-standing problems which impede progress in environment-behavior research: 1)a singular theoretical foundation for investigations has not been developed; and 2)designers and researchers have difficulty “communicating” with one another. These problems are inter-related, and the latter is most likely a cause of the former. In this paper, it is suggested that a major cause of these difficulties is the existence of four different epistemologies: 1) empiricism; 2)rationalism; 3)structuralism; and 4) instrumentalism, as well as two separate problem solving approaches. Designers tend to utilize instnumentalism and/or rationalism (or even a hybrid, instrumental rationalism) and a synthetic problem-solving approach. Researchers, however, embrace an empirical or structuralist epistemology and an analytic problem-solving perspective. All of this results in an interdiscipline which is confused and confusing to its members! The problematic aspects of these philosophical preferences are described, and some examples of alternative, synthetic approaches are offered.