The conventional scientific preoccupation with validation of knowledge is challenged:
One might say that it itself lacks validity. Campbell's endorsement of it in his article in this
issue of Knowledge is the point of departure. Noting that Campbell assumes rather than
argues the case for such a preoccupation, this article proceeds to examine the grounds on
which it might be justified and the counterarguments. It also suggests what other kinds of
activities social scientists engage in other than pursuing valid knowledge, and why it makes
sense that they do.
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References
1.
Campbell, D.T. (1969) "Reforms as experiments." Amer. Psychologist24 (April): 409-429.
2.
Campbell, D.T. (1974) "Qualitative knowledge in action research." Paper presented to the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, meeting with American Psychological Association , New Orleans.
3.
Campbell, D.T. (1979) "A tribal model of the social system vehicle carrying scientific knowledge." Knowledge1, 2: 181-201.
4.
Campbell, D.T. (1987) "Guidelines for monitoring the scientific competence of Preventive Intervention Research Centers: an exercise in the sociology of scientific validity." Knowledge8, 3: 389-430.
