Fact or Fiction: The Philosophy of Fictions in IS Research
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Fact or Fiction: The Philosophy of Fictions in IS Research Ms. Sandy Behrens School of Management and Information Systems Central Queensland University http://farm1.static.flickr.com/ 38/80098386_fd5fa2285f_b.jpg
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In its quest for knowledge and understanding the Information Systems (IS) field has generally been torn between positivist and interpretivist approaches. However, in this paper an approach that accepts many of the underlying beliefs of both positivism and interpretivism ispresented: the fictive approach. This blended approach - most comprehensively developed by Vaihinger - revealshow much of what we do in the IS field can be seen ascreating and working with fictions. From the abstractive tothe aesthetic all fictions are evident to some extent in theIS discipline. While the fictional approach has its challengesit is paradigmatically creative, rich and holistic; all importantand arguably necessary characteristics when it comes to understanding Information Systems. Perhaps bylegitimizing and exploring fictions in all their forms the ISfield may finally mend the tear between the two warring paradigms and move forward in a bid to achieve the disciplines raison d'etre: making better sense of Information Systems.
Transcript of Fact or Fiction: The Philosophy of Fictions in IS Research
Fact or Fiction:The Philosophy of Fictions in IS
Research
Ms. Sandy Behrens
School of Management and Information Systems
Central Queensland University
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Purpose
Positivists
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Interpretivists
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Either/Or Proposition
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Really?
Weber (2004)
Guba & Lincoln (2004)
Vaihinger (1924)
InterpretivismPositivism
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Making sense
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Value?
Reconciliation
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Vantage Point
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Fictions
AbstractiveSymbolicHeuristicPractical (ethical)Aesthetic
Abstractive
Meridian of Ferro
Zero point determination
Water as measure of gravity
Abstractive Fictions in IS
Schemas, models and diagrams
Theories eg. TAM
Methods for implementation and design
Symbolic
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Metaphors
Symbolic Fictions in IS
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Methodologies used for systems development
Designing effective IS interfaces
Conceptual Bias in IS research
Heuristic
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Ptolemaic cosmic system
Newton’s laws of gravitation
Teleology
Heuristic Fictions in IS
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Data modelling
Teleology - primary metaphors
Practical
• Ethics
“All men are created equal”
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Practical Fictions in IS
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Ethical issues in organizations
Ethical behavior of researchers
Aesthetic
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Mythology
Aesthetic Fictions in IS
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Systems Design - Look and feel
Ciaborra - creativity and strategy
Vantage Point
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Moving Forward
Read the paper: Conference proceedings
Talk with me: Questions after this session
At the conference
Slides: Freely available at Slide Share
www.slideshare.net
