PRE-REFLECTIVE THINKING
Stage 1
Knowledge is assumed to exist absolutely land concretely. It can be obtained with absolute certainty through direct observation.
Beliefs need no justification since there is assumed to be an absolute correspondence between what is believed and what is true. Alternative beliefs are not recognized.
A person knows that she or he has observed. Facts and judgments are not differentiated.
"I know what I have seen."
Stage 2
Knowledge is assumed to be absolutely certain or certain but not immediately available. Knowledge can be obtained directly through the senses (as in direct observation) or via authority figures.
Beliefs are unexamined and unjustified or justified by their correspondence with the beliefs of an authority figure (such as a teacher or parent). Most issues are assumed to have a right answer, so there is little or no conflict in making decisions about disputed issues.
Authorities and facts are related. authority figures are sources of fact and, therefore, of truth.
"If it is on the news, it has to be true."
Stage 3
Knowledge is assumed to be absolutely certain or temporarily uncertain. In areas of temporary uncertainty, only personal beliefs can be known until absolute knowledge is obtained. In areas of absolute certainty, knowledge is obtained from authorities.
In areas in which certain answers exist, beliefs are justified by reference to authorities' views. In areas in which answers do not exist, beliefs are defended as personal opinion since the link between evidence and beliefs is unclear.
Absolute answers are assumed to exist, but to be temporarily inaccessible. In the absence of absolute truth, facts and personal beliefs are seen as equally valid.
"When there is evidence that people can give to convince everybody one way or another, then it will be knowledge; until then, it's just a guess."
QUASI-REFLECTIVE THINKING
Stage 4
Knowledge is uncertain and knowledge claims are idiosyncratic to the individual because of situational variables (e.g., incorrect reporting of data, data lost over time, or disparities in access to information; these factors dictate that any knowledge claim contains an element of uncertainty.
Evidence is now seen as important to the construction of knowledge claims, along with the acknowledgment that a belief cannot be known with absolute certainty for pragmatic reasons. thus, knowledge claims are idiosyncratic to the individual.
"I'd be more including to believe evolution if they had proof. It's just like the pyramids: I don't think we'll ever know. Who are you going to ask? No one was there."
Since there is no source of certainty for one's beliefs, beliefs are justified by giving reasons that are often idiosyncratic, such as choosing evidence that fits an established belief.
Types of evidence are differentiated within perspectives (e.g., historical or scientific evidence). Further, different rules of inquiry across perspectives or disciplines are recognized. Quality of evidence is also evaluated as strong/weak, relevant/irrelevant, etc. Evidence is not an end in itself, but is used to construct interpretations.
Beliefs are justified within a particular context using the rules of inquiry for that contest, with the understanding that justification is context-specific or that beliefs are balanced against each other. Each approach has the effect of complicating and delaying judgments.
"People think differently and so they attack the problem differently. Other theories could be as true as my own, but based on different evidence."
Stage 5
Knowledge is seen as contextual and subjective. Since it is filtered through a person's perceptions and criteria for judgment, only interpretations of evidence may be known.
Types of evidence are differentiated within perspectives (e.g., historical or scientific evidence). Further, different rules of inquiry across perspectives or disciplines are recognized. Quality of evidence is also evaluated as strong/weak, relevant/irrelevant, etc. Evidence is not an end in itself, but is used to construct interpretations.
Beliefs are justified within a particular context using the rules of inquiry for that contest, with the understanding that justification is context-specific or that beliefs are balanced against each other. Each approach has the effect of complicating and delaying judgments.
"People think differently and so they attack the problem differently. Other theories could be as true as my own, but based on different evidence."
REFLECTIVE THINKING
Stage 6
Generalized rules of inquiry may be applied across perspective (e.g., the weight of the argument, likelihood of the conclusion being correct, acknowledgment that judgments are tentative). Interpretations are subject to critique and dogmatic for coherency, consistency with the evidence, explanatory power, etc.
Beliefs are justified by comparing evidence and opinion on different sides of an issue or across contexts, and by constructing solutions that are evaluated by personally-endorsed criteria, such as one's personal values or the pragmatic need for action.
"It's very difficult in this life to be sure. There are degrees of sureness. You come to a point at which you are sure enough for a personal stance on an issue."
Stage 7
Judgments are seen as the outcome of a process of rational inquiry; they are based on a variety of interpretive considerations (e.g., the explanatory value of the interpretations, the risks of an erroneous conclusion, consequences of alternative judgments) and the interrelationships of these factors.
Knowledge is constructed using the process of reasonable inquiry for constructing a well-informed understanding of the problem at hand.
Beliefs are justified probabilistically using evidence and arguments; conclusions are defended as representing the most complete, most compelling, or most plausible understanding of an issue available to date, based on the current evidence.
"One can judge arguments by how well thought out the positions are, what kinds of reasoning and evidence are used to support it, and how consistent the way one argues on this topic is as compared with other topics."
RESOURCES:
1. http://web.missouri.edu/~woodph/rjstages/rjstages.1.html
2. http://web.missouri.edu/~woodph/rjstages/rjstages.2.html
3. http://web.missouri.edu/~woodph/rjstages/rjstages.3.html
No comments:
Post a Comment