This week was about theory and I read “The Nature of Theory in Information Systems” (by Gregor, S.) and “What Theory is Not” (by Sutton, R.I. & Staw, B.M.). I like the approach this weeks texts has towards the theme of the week, theory. I think it was a lot easier to understand theory than it was to understand knowledge and I believe this is because the texts explained theory by explaining what theory is not. When we read about knowledge I felt like they tried to explain knowledge just to realize that they were wrong, try again, be wrong again etc. and this is almost like this week but with one major difference. This week the “goal” was to explain what theory is by explaining what it is not and that they did, very well.
This week I also read a paper called “Keyword extraction for blogs based on content richness” from the journal “The Journal of Information Science” with the goal to look upon the theories used within that paper. Identifying what kind of theories that was used in the paper after reading the texts about theory in generel was a good way to really grasp the theme. It’s a good way to let yourself know that you’ve actually understood what you have read in the previous texts.
During the seminar I felt confident that I had grasped what theory is and I felt that the seminar mostly was a confirmation of that and not a source of new understanding about the area like previous weeks. I think that the texts in general are starting to get easier and I must say that I appreciate that because I enjoyed realizing I had understood the area fully on the seminar. I didn’t feel the need to ask a lot of questions during the seminar but rather I listened to the different examples of theory that was presented as well as listening to the different questions asked by other students. We discussed what differs religion from theory and if religion can be a theory in some cases etc and discussions like that I find very interesting and those discussions are the part of this course I find to be the most fun.
I’ve learned alot about theory this week and this weeks knowledge I believe could actually be usefull in the future, more so than “what is knowledge” etc. The biggest “aha!” experience was when I understood that theory is not a hypothesis. Because in general people often says “I have a theory about this or that” and in reality they mean that they have a hypothesis and not a theory. Before understanding this I also believed that a theory was a hypothesis so I’m pleased to have been enlightened as Adorno and Horkheimer would’ve put it.
Hej,
SvaraRaderaI like that you write that the clear distinction between theory and hypothesis was an "aha" moment for you this week! I also thought so during the seminar - when I read some blogs I got confused again unfortunately, but the last blog I read helped me again. It said that a hypothesis CAN lead to a theory but that a theory does NOT NEET to be built on a hypothesis. Had you heard this before? But it's good that you think the new knowledge from this week might be useful in the future. Are you planning on going into research more?
Hi,
SvaraRaderathank for sharing your thought.
i also find that usually people, or even i, always say it without realizing 'i have theory of this and that' but its actually hasn't been prove or anything. sometimes it's just my findings when something is interesting and i assume that it's my theory of this or that. i wonder if this could consider theory in my own context or it is just hypothesis (assuming) like what u said. uhmm intersting.