Epistemologiese relativisme en opvoedkundige teorievorming

Abstract

'n Verkennend-beskrywende, interpretatiewe, meta-teoretiese studie is onderneem om die invloed van epistemologiese relativisme op opvoedkundige teorievorming te ondersoek. Die verwagting bestaan, in 'n tydsgees wat die kompleksiteit van die kenterrein van die Opvoedkunde benadruk, dat die opvoedkundige objektiewe en praktykrigtende kennisuitsprake aangaande die kenterrein van die Opvoedkunde sal maak. Om aan laasgenoemde verwagting te kan voldoen, is dit vir die opvoedkundige nodig om die kenterrein van die Opvoedkunde te betree en interpretatiewe, kontekstueel-funksionele kennisuitsprake te maak. Vanuit 'n tradisionele perspektief op wetenskapsbeoefening en rasionaliteit kan aantygings van epistemologiese relativisme ontstaan teen kennisuitsprake wat die kenterrein interpreteer. Dit is egter moontlik om aantygings van epistemologiese relativisme in opvoedkundige teorievorming te weerle, indien 'n verbrede beskouing van rasionaliteit in die Opvoedkunde gehuldig word. Op grond van die verband wat tussen taal, interpretasie en rasionaliteit bestaan, word meta-norme van rasionaliteit wat met taalgebruik en interpretasie verband hou, ge"identifiseer. Die mensbeskouing van die Eksistensiele Fenomenologie en Habermas se Teorie van Kommunikatiewe Rasionaliteit het dit in gemeen dat dit die moontlikheid erken dat mense deur middel van taalgebruik 'n gemeenskaplike realiteit kan identifiseer wat ook as 'n vertrekpunt in wetenskaplike gesprekvoering kan dien en wat objektiewe kennisuitsprake moontlik maak. Die mens se interpretasie van die werklikheid deur middel van taal is 'n ontiese gegewene, daarom word dit gestel dat die navorser se interpretasie van 'n kenobjek deur middel van taal deur. meta-norme van rasionaliteit onderle word. Met die grondliggende aanname dat daar metanorme van rasionaliteit bestaan wat met taal en interpretasie verband hou, word 'n verbrede begrip van rasionaliteit in die Opvoedkunde, wat interpretatiewe kennisuitsprake van die opvoedkundige akkommodeer, voorgestel. Omdat daar meta-norme van rasionaliteit bestaan wat met taalgebruik en interpretasie verband hou, is dit vir opvoedkundiges moontlik om binne hulle eie paradigmatiese kontekste die kenterrein van die Opvoedkunde funksioneel te interpreteer, sonder om in epistemologiese relativisme te verval. Op grond daarvan dat meta-norme van rasionaliteit bestaan, is dit vir opvoedkundiges moontlik om oor die kenterrein van die Opvoedkunde in gesprek te tree en toenemend objektiewe kennisuitsprake, wat die kontekste van individuele paradigmas oorskry, te maak.

An investigative, descriptive, interpretative, meta-theoretical study was undertaken to determine the influence of epistemological relativism on educational theory formation. It is expected that, at a time when the complex nature of Education is being emphasised, educationists will make objective as well as functional, directive knowledge statements about the education epistemic. To fulfil the latter expectations, it is necessary for educationists to enter into the education epistemic and make interpretative, contextually functional knowledge statements about education. From a traditional perspective on the practice of science and rationality, allegations of epi stemological relativism may arise against statements which interpret the education epistemic. However, it is possible to allay allegations of epistemological relativism in educational theory formation, if a broadened view of rationality is upheld in Education. On the basis of the relation between language, interpretation and rationality, meta-norms of rationality are identified that relate to language usage and interpretation. Existential Phenomenology and Habermas's Theory of Communicative Rationality correlate in their acknowledgement of the possibility that people can, through language usage, identify a common reality which can also seNe as point of departure in scientific discourse, while at the same time facilitating objective knowledge statements. A person's interpretation of reality by means of language is an ontic premise and, therefore, it is stated that the researcher's interpretation of an object of study is based on language through meta-norms of rationality. With the basic assumption that there are meta-norms of rationality which are related to language and interpretation, a broadened understanding of rationality in Education, which accommodates interpretative knowledge statements, is suggested. Because meta-norms of rationality exist which are related to language interpretation, it is possible for educationists to make a functional interpretation, within their own paradigmatic context, of the education epistemic, without lapsing into epistemological relativism. On the basis of the existence of meta-norms of rationality, education discourse becomes possible between educationists, and they can make increasingly objective knowledge statements, which extend beyond the context of individual paradigms.