The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides
Abstract Kuhnian’ paradigms are a commonly used method of explaining the structure of knowledge production within the social sciences; however, in some ways, they are also in opposition with Popperian’ critical thinking. The opposing approaches surmount to a comparative analytic method – Kuhn advoca...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0032247422000377 2024-03-03T08:40:28+00:00 The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides Coote, Michaela Louise 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247422000377 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247422000377 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Polar Record volume 59 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development journal-article 2023 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247422000377 2024-02-08T08:40:23Z Abstract Kuhnian’ paradigms are a commonly used method of explaining the structure of knowledge production within the social sciences; however, in some ways, they are also in opposition with Popperian’ critical thinking. The opposing approaches surmount to a comparative analytic method – Kuhn advocates undertaking science that is incommensurable, discipline-specific and ideologically and metaphysically fixed in nature; whilst Popper advocates science that is pluralistic, rebellious, interdisciplinary, and ideologically and metaphysically adaptable. This article utilises a systematic literature review of key peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and online articles from respected sources relating to Arctic scientific cooperation during and since the Cold War in order to provide a qualitative data source for comparative theoretical analysis. This article analyses key trends in Arctic environmental decision-making since the Cold War utilising a comparative critical constructivist framework based on epistemological challenges visible in the “Science Wars” between Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper. By applying two of the foundations of social science (critical thinking and paradigms) to Arctic International Relations and Geopolitics, this article assesses the state of Arctic science cooperation and; the potential for Arctic science cooperation to solve wicked environmental problems. The article concludes that there are power relationships within the epistemological background to environmental decision-making which impacts science cooperation in the Arctic and; current trends in Arctic decision-making further propels the Arctic along a trajectory of environmental degradation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Polar Record Cambridge University Press Arctic Polar Record 59 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
spellingShingle |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development Coote, Michaela Louise The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
topic_facet |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
description |
Abstract Kuhnian’ paradigms are a commonly used method of explaining the structure of knowledge production within the social sciences; however, in some ways, they are also in opposition with Popperian’ critical thinking. The opposing approaches surmount to a comparative analytic method – Kuhn advocates undertaking science that is incommensurable, discipline-specific and ideologically and metaphysically fixed in nature; whilst Popper advocates science that is pluralistic, rebellious, interdisciplinary, and ideologically and metaphysically adaptable. This article utilises a systematic literature review of key peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and online articles from respected sources relating to Arctic scientific cooperation during and since the Cold War in order to provide a qualitative data source for comparative theoretical analysis. This article analyses key trends in Arctic environmental decision-making since the Cold War utilising a comparative critical constructivist framework based on epistemological challenges visible in the “Science Wars” between Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper. By applying two of the foundations of social science (critical thinking and paradigms) to Arctic International Relations and Geopolitics, this article assesses the state of Arctic science cooperation and; the potential for Arctic science cooperation to solve wicked environmental problems. The article concludes that there are power relationships within the epistemological background to environmental decision-making which impacts science cooperation in the Arctic and; current trends in Arctic decision-making further propels the Arctic along a trajectory of environmental degradation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Coote, Michaela Louise |
author_facet |
Coote, Michaela Louise |
author_sort |
Coote, Michaela Louise |
title |
The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
title_short |
The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
title_full |
The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
title_fullStr |
The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
title_full_unstemmed |
The balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the Arctic: Scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
title_sort |
balance between critical thinking and paradigm thinking in the arctic: scientific cooperation across theoretical divides |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247422000377 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247422000377 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Polar Record |
genre_facet |
Arctic Polar Record |
op_source |
Polar Record volume 59 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247422000377 |
container_title |
Polar Record |
container_volume |
59 |
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1792496150083796992 |