Theme 3 - Reflection

In the lecture and seminar of this week’s theme, we are mainly talked about what is the theory and what is the research. In generally, theory provide an explanatory framework for an observation, is a set of propositions that aims to identify (abstracts) objects and their relation to each other. There also have more definitions according to the field it belongs, for examples scientific theory is based on empirical data to explain the phenomena of nature, typically is the right fact until other argument with other empirical data make a falsifiable prediction related to it; Philosophical theory, without consists in empirical data which are mainly in the realm of ideas. The theories of philosophical are not tested with empirical observation.  However, professor Leif give an unexpected definition for what is theory that theory is about looking, in other words, is a way that we perceiving the world associated to our knowledge and generate an idea, it is very similar to hypothesis but it is hard to say the difference between theory and hypothesis, only thing I can explain is that hypothesis is an idea based on some theories and can be tested, confirmed through theoretic framework. Once a hypothesis be confirmed, it can be a theory used to propose new hypothesis or as an evaluation criterion.

Research is a way of gathering data to make an explanation of theory, it is a theory production somewhat like the relationship between superstructure and substructure, depending on each other and affecting each other.

In the lecture, before the introduction of research, professor Leif ask an interesting question which is “what is human”. I mean not  to discuss the definition but to expound the meaning of that question. The teacher reference to this topic, in fact, wondering to discuss the relationship between the three concepts theory, human and research. In my view, since human is kind of creature that have ability of thinking and the ability can make their thinking or questioning become truth, thus, a perfect circulation generated between human, theory and research. Human observing objects through their eyes and ears to perceive the world, they generate questions and make hypotheses or theories to define answers, then they gathering data and knowledge their own to make a research for judgment the correctness of the things they proposed,  the research reflecting the results to human and human learning and knowing the world depending on these certified facts, and inspired by them to propose new questions and theories. Unfortunately, theory may not project the real of the world, precisely because we are humanities, we can not know the real meaning of phenomenon or objects in the world. However, the continuous development of human society attributed to we dared to question everything. In this theme I learnt that we should not use a Normalism view to examine the world, that is dangerous that we could get no answering for all. Instead, an eye-opening way is required. Maybe someday a crazy guy will jumped up and say” the theory of Darwin’s evolution is wrong, I found a new theory and my research can give the most powerful evidence”. What’s going on? Maybe we could found the true sense of humanities. Whatever, that is another story.