Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research
Journal of Business Ethics recently published a critique of ethical practices in quantitative research by Zyphur and Pierides (J Bus Ethics 143:1–16, 2017). The authors argued that quantitative research prevents researchers from addressing urgent problems facing humanity today, such as poverty, raci...
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Netherlands
2019
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| _version_ | 1797061604160831488 |
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| author | Powell, TC |
| author_facet | Powell, TC |
| author_sort | Powell, TC |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Journal of Business Ethics recently published a critique of ethical practices in quantitative research by Zyphur and Pierides (J Bus Ethics 143:1–16, 2017). The authors argued that quantitative research prevents researchers from addressing urgent problems facing humanity today, such as poverty, racial inequality, and climate change. I offer comments and observations on the authors’ critique. I agree with the authors in many areas of philosophy, ethics, and social research, while making suggestions for clarification and development. Interpreting the paper through the pragmatism of William James, I suggest that the authors’ arguments are unlikely to change attitudes in traditional quantitative research, though they may point the way to a new worldview, or Jamesian “sub-world,” in social research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:33:35Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:31dd1bf4-75fb-4b5e-bc36-9b05fa6b52c1 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:33:35Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Springer Netherlands |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:31dd1bf4-75fb-4b5e-bc36-9b05fa6b52c12022-03-26T13:10:39ZCan quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social researchJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:31dd1bf4-75fb-4b5e-bc36-9b05fa6b52c1EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordSpringer Netherlands2019Powell, TCJournal of Business Ethics recently published a critique of ethical practices in quantitative research by Zyphur and Pierides (J Bus Ethics 143:1–16, 2017). The authors argued that quantitative research prevents researchers from addressing urgent problems facing humanity today, such as poverty, racial inequality, and climate change. I offer comments and observations on the authors’ critique. I agree with the authors in many areas of philosophy, ethics, and social research, while making suggestions for clarification and development. Interpreting the paper through the pragmatism of William James, I suggest that the authors’ arguments are unlikely to change attitudes in traditional quantitative research, though they may point the way to a new worldview, or Jamesian “sub-world,” in social research. |
| spellingShingle | Powell, TC Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| title | Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| title_full | Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| title_fullStr | Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| title_short | Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| title_sort | can quantitative research solve social problems pragmatism and the ethics of social research |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT powelltc canquantitativeresearchsolvesocialproblemspragmatismandtheethicsofsocialresearch |