The Existence Of Objectivity In Research

In seeking knowledge we as humans try to be objective and find ultimate truths, which are independent of our being and would exist regardless of whether we exist or not. Objectivity is important for ideological and practical reasons: so that what we believe in has value and can be reproduced despite a change in circumstances. Objectivity also refers to the ability of the subject to gather knowledge about the world around her without adding personal bias, opinion and belief. Thus the belief in the existence of objective knowledge or so-called truth, determines the relationship of the knower with knowledge. I would like to argue, through natural sciences and ethics that until we reach the ultimate truth – even taking for granted that it exists …show more content…
It aims at producing an objective knowledge map about the world by gathering deeper knowledge with every investigation. An idea becomes a scientific argument only after it has been tested and supported by evidence that confirms the expectations. For example, in the 1800s new mothers were falling sick regularly, until somebody hypothesized that the cause was doctors attending deliveries without washing their hands. When they did, there was a decrease in illnesses, confirming the expectations. (The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California, 2012) Hence, the most likely cause was identified due to the evidence confirming the strong correlation that would help eliminate disease, with a very unambiguous and functional …show more content…
Model-dependent realism states that the interpretation of this data is what turns it into applicable scientific theories. (The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California, 2012) (Hawking, 2010, p. 61) Model-dependent realism tries to show that any “conceptual framework” is equally real; the only criterion it has to fulfill is being consistent with the observation. (Hawking, 2010, p. 61) Referring back to the example of new mothers, both the miasma theory and the germ theory of disease are equally real but in this specific case, the germ theory is more appropriate as it helps face the problem more efficaciously. (Anon., 2016) (Anon., n.d.) This means that some theories can account for anomalies that other disregard, or their solutions can be more effective in achieving a goal. For example, the Copernican heliostatic model in comparison to the theory of epicycles (Kuhn, 2013) and the germ theory versus the miasma one. Thus, the perspective of the knower is essential in choosing what aspects to take into