Yikes, Terry,
You write, “In contrast to your position, I'm suggesting you cannot look at evidence as if it were independent of theory.”
This is not my position.
My views on the relationship of evidence to theory are more nuanced than this. It is my view that questions come from theory. Questions and theory guide inquiry. They affect what counts as evidence. In some circumstances, they affect what we can see and even what we can measure. But evidence also affects the development of theory, and only evidence allows us to choose between and among competing theories.
Of course evidence and theory are related and must be considered together. That’s what I said in my post. In this particular thread, however, I wanted to inquire into the nature of evidence.
Because I am in the middle of a large project, I don’t have the time to engage in a serious debate on the relations between theory and evidence. I mean a serious debate, rather than a disputatious wrangle. Yesterday, I wrote you an off-list note stating explicitly that questions, theory, and concepts guide inquiry, and they affect what counts as evidence. Since my position on this should be clear, your misrepresentation of my views seems to me disputatious.
The relationships between theory and evidence are profound. I do not posit a broad brush, one-eyed appeal to an uncritical notion of evidence. I simply want to hear the views of some of the serious list contributors on their views of evidence.
My position is that it is possible to bracket out and reflect on the topic of evidence WITHOUT making the claim that evidence is “independent of theory.”
Another time, I’ll be happy to think about theory. Right now, I am interested in an issue that is easily framed.
Seriously, Terry, if you wish to debate positions on theory, why not start a thread about theory? I’m still hoping that a few more people will offer their views on the questions I posed earlier.
What is the nature of evidence in design and design research? What kinds of evidence do we need? How can we gather this evidence? How should we deploy it and put it to work in professional practice? Can list members suggest useful published examples that shed light on these questions?
Ken
Ken Friedman, PhD, DSc (hc), FDRS | Editor-in-Chief | 设计 She Ji. The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation | Published by Elsevier in Cooperation with Tongji University Press | Launching in 2015
Chair Professor of Design Innovation Studies | College of Design and Innovation | Tongji University | Shanghai, China ||| University Distinguished Professor | Centre for Design Innovation | Swinburne University of Technology | Melbourne, Australia
Email [log in to unmask] | Academia http://swinburne.academia.edu/KenFriedman | D&I http://tjdi.tongji.edu.cn
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