Posted on 11/15/2006 4:46:18 AM PST by kriztine rosales-viray
Insights on the Philosophical Issues of Communication By: Kriztine R. Viray
(The following is a reflection.)
There are a number of reasons why philosophical issues of communication research should not be taken for granted in any aspect of media profession. First, issues of this kind are fundamental that when one tries to answer and address them, he is led towards a broader perspective of communication. Second, it is only through these issues that a practitioner gets hold of the nature of his profession. Third, by pondering over these issues, one would realize that communication is not just an ordinary activity that man performs but it is also an object of reflective and speculative thinking.
Philosophical approach to communication is within the purview of metatheory. As a parenthetical discussion, metatheory in the language of Littlejohn is:
“ … a body of speculation on the nature of inquiry that is above the specific content of given theories. It addresses such questions as what should be observed, how observation should take place, and what form theory should take. Metatheoretical debates are a natural consequence of uncertainty over the status of knowledge in a field.” (Littlejohn, p.32)
The definition of Littlejohn is quite clear. According to him, metatheory is concern not with the content of theories but rather with fundamental questions pertaining to the theories themselves. In other words, metatheory is here paralleled with philosophy. To be more apt, metatheory is where philosophical analysis of communication theories comes in. There are three major headings of philosophical questions: (1) epistemology, (2) ontology, and (3) axiology.
Epistemology
Epistemology is a branch of philosophy which seeks to study knowledge i.e human knowledge. Littlejohn believes that epistemological questions are not only important in the study and analysis of communication theories but also inevitable. It is impossible to discuss or have an exhaustive discussion about communication research and theory without being acquainted with the different issues of epistemology. The reason for this argument is that communication and knowledge always go side by side. This is so because the content of communication is knowledge. There is nothing to communicate without knowledge, hence. One could hardly speak, if he does not have anything in the mind.
Littlejohn assumes that there are five basic issues in epistemology: (1) to what extent can knowledge exist before experience?; (2) to what extent can knowledge be certain?; (3) by what process does knowledge arise?; (4) Is knowledge best conceived in parts or in wholes?; and (5) to what extent is knowledge explicit?
These epistemological issues were masterfully detailed and explained by Littlejohn in his book. I was taken aback by his discussions that I got to the point of doubting my previous impressions and knowledge about communication.
Ontology
The other heading is ontology. Ontology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beings, or ,ore narrowly, the nature of the things we seek to know. Littlejohn says that “ epistemology and ontology go hand in hand because our conceptions of knowledge depends in part on our notions about the nature of the knowable”. (Littlejohn, p35)
Like in epistemology , ontological issues are as well important. A theorist of communication research tends to look at communication in relation to the way the communicator is viewed. This is the very reason why Littlejohn flatly states: “All communication theories begin with assumptions about being, and the issues in this area reflect disagreements about the nature of human experience.” (Littlejohn, p. 35-36)
These are four issues here: (1) to what extent do humans make real choices? (2) to what extent are humans best understood in terms of states versus traits? (3) to what extent is human experience individual versus social? (4) to what extent is communication contextualized?
Axiology
Lastly, axiology is the branch of philosophy studying values. Axiology is usually being associated with aesthetics, logic, and ethics. There are three especially important axiological issues: (1) Can theory be value free? (2) to what extent does the practice of inquiry influence that which is studied? (3) to what extent should scholarship attempt to achieve social change?
Pragmatists are incline to test theories according to their practical consequences and value. Hence they are concern with axiology rather than epistemology.
Concluding Remarks
After exposing all these philosophical issues I was led to ask, Should I start from the scratch?
You need help, please get it fast! For your children!!!!
Thanks again for the laugh, slings! I think you should create a "Serious Cat" ping list. Any thread with that picture is the thread for me!
You're welcome! How about I add you to my Not-A-Ping-List Ping List? That will get you all Serious Cat threads, and much more.
Boy, you bet! I can sure use the laughs!
You're added.
I like this one, too! Thanks for the essay/post!
I do believe this qualifies as a rodomontade of the most puerile type.
bookmarking.
"Mustard sauce?" ;^)
(Blame Tax Chick, she is the one who taught me that word)
A word fitly spoken (typed, anyway) is like apples of gold in settings of silver (or the other way around).
Don't forget it's "hyperbolic rodomontade"!
I remember but I thought the "hyperbolic" might be a bit of an overstatement in this case.
Good point. I think this is "narcoleptic rodomontade."
Worse, didn't she post the exact same article under a different title yesterday? Aren't the rules about spamming on FR?
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