Paradigms in Science

Interpretation and Paradigms in Science

(Stefan Wellershaus, Juli 1992)
geschrieben für Studenten in Trivandrum (Kerala, Indien) und geschickt an Prof. Natarajan

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1 - Often a scientific interpretation of scientific observations is wanted. This is a risky task because in order to interprete scientific data usually paradigms are used that have nothing to do with science. In scientific work paradigms have to be clearly separated from other types of paradigms, such as paradigms from family life or economy or school or religion etc.

This has to be explained more clearly:
2 - What is a paradigm? In science a paradigm ['pæradaim] is the contents of knowing and the structure of thinking the legitimate problems and methods within a certain field of research - including the methods in thinking, judging and interpreting [following THOMAS KUHN (1970)]. Scientific paradigms mainly stem from university study, from literature and from own thinking. We are more conscious about them than about daily life paradigms (see next paragraph).

But still we mostly are not aware how far we mix both.

3 - This term, paradigm, has recently been widened [see MARYLIN FERGUSON (198o)]: in daily life it may mean structure and ways of thinking, judging and interpreting the experiences of daily life - including those obtained from education, dreams, fantasies etc. Such daily-life paradigms have mainly been produced unconsciously by oneself, by parents, teachers, media, friends and foes, by literature - particularly during childhood.

4 - The daily life paradigms are greatly controlled by society, and here they are meant to keep the individual within the cage of social well-conduct. Therefore such paradigms have been well-established in our emotions and thinking, and often they are considered as natural, inevitable.

5 - Our life is filled with a mixture of all kinds of such paradigms, and it is difficult for the mind to distinguish from where they come, it is only possible in silent meditation (OSHO at various occasions). It often happens that even in science, our paradigms are a mixture from all derivations, they are not purely scientific. So it is a frequent observation that daily life paradigms - such as deriving from family, economics, school etc - intrude into scientific thinking.

6 - In science, paradigms should be objective - which is not the case in daily life paradigms where they are both, objective and subjective.

7 - Ideally seen pure science should go without paradigms - this would be a more esoteric science - but this is not possible because of the structure of the human brain which needs both, the outer and the inner world.

8 - It is usually very difficult to distinguish clearly between scientific (objective) paradigms and subjective, non-objective paradigms. Even in a scientist, most paradigms in her/his life are subjective, they do not have a cognitive task. And objectively seen, scientifically seen, subjective paradigms have no value, they are per se wrong! But a scientist should know that she or he cannot really do without subjectivity, it is always inevitably present. Pure objectivity is not possible. Pure science is not possible, it is only a beautiful and useful idea.

Literature:

THOMAS S. KUHN, 197o: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

MARILYN FERGUSON, 198o: The Aquarian Conspiracy. J.P.Tarcher Inc., Los Angeles.

OSHO, 1988: Meditation, the First and the Last Feedom. Osho Publishing House, Köln, Germany.



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