What is
theory then? This week hasn't made it any clearer to me. The more I have
thought about the more problems I have explored. It is something very complex
and we discussed in our group if a theory is something that is true for you, at
this very moment. That way we of course got to the problem about what is true
and what is not, but apart from that it is a interesting way to look at theory,
if you can back it up it can be true for you. We also discussed what’s needed
to create a theory. Can you create your own personal theory that applies for
example whether you will be hungry at some moment or not. And how is there any
special context that is needed for a theory? Or can you create a general
theory. As you can see I think the subject this week just created more questions
and I got somehow even more puzzled.
But even
thought I can’t put words on what a theory is, I still think I know what it is.
And how is that? It is because of all the theories we have looked at. Theories
about game-theory and signal theory and so on. And that is the most important.
To see what these theories does for their subject. They are some kind of
thinking-help. A general way to think about the subject. It is not a model, and
not data, but some kind of guidelines for thinking.
The point
with all of this is that a theory is the best way to explain a way of thinking
and according to Wikipedia the word comes from the ancient Greeks and the
technical meaning of it was a “contemplative or speculative understandings
of natural things” which also shows that it is a way of thinking and understanding
things and the word was used by the ancient philosophers.
Good to hear that you are confused! The more one reads about what theory is, what theory could be, the more perspectives can be recognized. There are so many different views on this. This is probably a good thing? Complementary theories, research etc...?
SvaraRaderaA theory on when and why you become hungry is a fun idea. I am sure there are lots of research on this, but that it is one of those topics you could dig deeper and deeper into. A personal idea about this, together with a thorough understanding of previous research, can be a good starting point towards developing a theory. These ideas can first be formulated as hypotheses to be tested in research...
I don't think it's clear what theory is, after the seminar it seemed like theory could be a lot of different things. Perhaps that's the way it has always been and always will be, that theory will remain an unclear entity. I don't think that we students are the only ones who are uncertain of what is theory and what is not, since, for example, many researchers seem to disagree on whether or not design research can be theory.
SvaraRaderaI share your view (and perhaps confusion) on the concept of theory. What is to be considered theory probably differs from field to field but I think theory has to be, in a certain extent, knowledge that is agreed upon within the field of study. If something is agreed upon as theory, does it mean that it always will remain theory? Or does it become false theory if proven to be false? The concept of an flat earth was probably considered theory before proven wrong. I think it is important to always question theory and seek deeper understanding. I'd like to believe that the questioning of theory is one of the major forces that drives research forward and allows fo further discoveries and insights into different fields of research. I would say that theories come into existence as certain knowledge is considered true by the majority of researchers within a field and remains true until proven false.
SvaraRadera