Realism in Research

Abstract

Disputes in educational research over the past few decades have resulted in part from an inadequate conception of the nature of science itself. Developments in the philosophy of science have led to a new understanding–scientific realism–that has promise of resolving many longstanding dilemmas. At the core of the "standard view" of science is the incorrect Humean notion of causation, which has had devastating effects on research in the social sciences. An adequate notion of causation may provide a framework for research that is at once scientific, that incorporates the perceptions and intentions of participants, and that advances critical values such as social justice.