This study examines the role of not-knowing, particularly ignorance and irony, in our project of becoming persons. First, I draw upon Jean-Jacques Rousseau to articulate the concept of becoming a person. Considering Emile’s education as well as Sophie’s in Emile, I interpret becoming a person as cultivating the masculine (autonomy) and feminine (relationality), which enable us to live for ourselves and for others in a society. I then argue that ignorance and irony play a key role in our continuous project of becoming persons in childhood and adulthood, respectively. I draw upon Rousseau to discuss ignorance. Ignorance refers to the complete ignorance of things that do not originate from the child’s immediate experience. I focus on Rousseau’s notion that ignorance secures an open mind, which enables a child to begin a relationship with nature, things, and others. I draw upon Jonathan Lear to discuss irony. Irony refers to the loss of one’s routine understanding of her practical identity (social role), which inspires her aspirational understanding of the identity. I focus on Lear’s idea that irony allows an adult to keep an open mind, which enables her to be a subject in a social role, who continues to constitute herself via the role. Thus, I propose a model of becoming a person, in which ignorance and irony play the key role in forming and transforming a person, respectively, by securing an open mind as a person in childhood and adulthood, respectively. Lastly, I explore the application of this model to higher education today. I argue that ignorance and irony can be discussed not only as the two stages of life (childhood and adulthood) but also as the two phases of growth (formation and transformation) which can be concurrent in (young) adulthood. I then propose a pedagogy centered around ignorance and irony, which allows students to learn to become persons in formative and transformative ways. I suggest that this can be a model of moral education in higher education, which not only responds to the current mental health crisis but also revives the tradition of liberal education.

Two important trends have been noted in humankind's thinking of the world. These are increasing dissatisfaction with the rigid, dichotomous views of the Cartesian-Newtonian paradigm, and an increasing awareness of humankind's gpirituality. This dissertation broaches both these trends by exploring the new paradigm, that of cybernetic epistemology, which is a far more holistic and spiritual perspective. This is done as follows. Certain concepts from cybernetics are discussed in terms of their implications and meanings. These are then discussed from a spiritual perspective, (specifically Christian), according to how they fit with the Biblical understanding of God and His creation. The aim was to see if and how cybernetics and Christianity meet - how their basic assumptions about the world and life compare. The conclusion is that the relationship between cybernetics and Christianity is that they are both similar and different and this dissertation is about the pattern that connects the two. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This thesis is a study of inquiry. Drawing upon the work of American pragmatist John Dewey, this work seeks to contribute to our understanding of the construction of knowledge within the social system of communities of inquiry. The process of inquiry that is traced in this work is one effected in the course of architectural designing. An ethnographically informed study of an architectural masterplan project is used to illustrate Dewey's ideas and how they are played out in design practice. This thesis is understood to correspond with the growing interest of the students of organisational learning and knowledge management in knowledge creation and the underlying social processes. It is further seen as a response to the claim that the key processes of knowledge creation remain largely an enigma. Agreement has been established with Dewey that knowledge is not just an end in itself but a form of action, a medium of change and social transformation. The formation of knowledge, however, within the operation of inquiry is not a matter that “naturally” runs its course. The process of inquiry as studied both in theory and practice has shown just how much its results, which by definition constitute knowledge, are shaped by the institution and control of a problem. A problem is a social construct and the product of the purposeful selection and arrangement of pieces of information. Inquiry is therefore considered a process of controlled knowledge formation. That which counts as knowledge in the realm of social phenomena has been shown to be a matter not so much of agreement between actions and their consequences but agreement in terms of intellectual acceptance. What “satisfies” as a solution (such as the final masterplan) has therefore been shown to be not necessarily a question of its logical status.

To date, several disciplines have broached the systems view of service and the engineering of service systems. Operations research applied to services began with a rather simplistic, macro view of resource integration in the form of data envelopment analysis (DEA), introduced by Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes in 1978 (Banker et al., 1984; Charnes et al., 1994). Micro models of service systems have tended to study the systems’ IT components (Hsu, 2009; Qiu 2009). Engineering, which has always been associated with ‘assembling pieces that work in specific ways’ (Ottino, 2004) and ‘a process of precise composition to achieve a predictable purpose and function’ (Fromm, 2010: 2), has contributed to greater scalability and purposeful control in service systems. However, the agents of the system are usually people whose activities may not easily be controlled by predictable processes and yet are critical aspects of the value-creating system (Ng et al., 2011b). There is need for a new combinative paradigm, such as third-generation activity theory, in which two or more activity systems come into contact, to explore dialogue, exchanging perspectives of multiple actors, resulting in networks or groups of activity systems that are constantly interacting (Marken, 2006; Nardi, 1996, Oliveros et al., 2010). While various systems approaches, such as general systems theory (von Bertalanffy, 1962); open systems theory (Boulding, 1956; Katz and Kahn, 1978); and viable systems approach (Barile, 2008; Beer, 1972; Golinelli, 2010), will not be reviewed here (see Ng et al., 2011a for a systems approach to service science), they share common tenets: boundaries, interfaces, hierarchy, feedback and adaptation to which most systems writers would add emergence, input, output and transformation (Kast and Rosenzweig, 1972). These terms may be used as a basis for a research agenda for the consideration of a service system.

The starting-point of the thesis was that teachers to a large extent teach on the basis of intuitive theories. This creates a tendency that a number of frequent conceptions, pedagogical and didactic theories, experiences of one's own school days etc. become parts of a more fragmentary structure of ideas, rather than a coherent theory of teaching. With the aim of creating a deeper understanding of questions related to teaching and learning, two dominating perspectives were described initial. By putting the intuitive ideas in relation to basic paradigmatic assumptions a picture was given of what the teacher has to know in order to thoroughly understand a certain perspective. In addition, examples of pedagogical theories were presented that can be referred to the perspective in question, which teachers can adopt to qualify their understanding. A critical discussion of the paradigmatic assumptions paved the way for a third perspective, where thoughts occurring in the other two were partly combined. Here a theoretical basis was also presented to explain why the use of mental tools of thinking, especially such that are linked to knowledge theory may lead the teacher to a more reflective way of dealing with questions of teaching and learning. The third perspective was illustrated, first with four examples of how teaching can be performed, and then also in the form of in-service training for teachers. In the empirical section and in the final conclusion the perspectives were illustrated, discussed and examined critically. On the basis of questionnaires answered by upper secondary school teachers, interviews and observations, assumed examples of intuitive theories were presented. The empirical material was also analysed from the same starting-points as the formulation of the perspectives. Ten teachers' systems of intuitive theories about teaching and learning could thus be constructed. Five of these were presented and a comparison with the perspectives was made. Some analyses, however, turned out to agree best with a further perspective, which had not been focused on in the thesis. It was also found that teachers' practice can be enriched by being confronted with scientific knowledge. The value of such knowledge was illustrated through the evaluation of an inservice programme for teachers.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Text in English / The current investigation explores the possibility of surpassing or subordinating epistemology to ontology by focusing on the hermeneutics of Heidegger. Based on his works, which consider the understanding as a way of being and therefore offering the foundation for all knowledge, this study will underline the decisive shift concerning the question of being (l’être) in the works of modern hermeneutics fathers. A critical move made by Heidegger's philosophical perspective underlines the epistemology of understanding. The question of the ontology of understanding is investigated differently from his predecessors Schleiermacher and Dilthey, and culminates in a revolution in hermeneutics. The understanding is not knowledge, but a behavioural Dasein. His main contribution to hermeneutics consists of subordinating the methodological and epistemological questions to the ontological ones. The problem of understanding is no longer linked to “other” but is extended to the world. There is therefore a mundanisation of understanding, which overlaps its depsychologisation. Understanding is a mode of being of Dasein that extends in interpretation, which leads to language. The interpretation is only a development of understanding, which is articulated in language. The phenomenological method and critical analysis are used for this investigation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.A. (Philosophy)

Orientador: Ricardo Pereira Tassinari / Banca: Adrián Oscar Dongo Montoya / Banca: Ernesto Caetano Plastino / Resumo: No presente trabalho de Dissertação, propusemo-nos à analisar a noção de significação segundo a Epistemologia Genética. Tal noção (significação) foi escolhida devido à sua relevância dentro da Teoria de Piaget, visto ela estar relacionada diretamente com a concepção de consciência em Piaget, bem como, por ela percorrer toda a construção da teoria piagetiana, o que nos permitiu, entender a proposta da Epistemologia Genética de maneira mais clara e trazer tal noção para um cenário mais sintetizado dentro da teoria de Piaget. A dissertação foi norteada pela concepção de Piaget de que dar significação a um quadro sensorial ou a um objeto é inseri-lo num sistema de esquemas ou, por outras palavras, assimilá-lo a um sistema de esquemas, e que, em especial, o conhecimento é o resultado do processo de ação do sujeito sobre o objeto, que leva o sujeito a inserí-lo em um sistema de esquema de ação e de operações sobre representação, por meio da assimilação, bem como a modificar, por meio da acomodação, esse sistema de esquemas, especificando, então, o processo de conhecimento como prolongamento do processo de adaptação segundo Piaget. No desenvolvimento deste trabalho foi feita uma caracterização sucinta da proposta piagetiana de uma Epistemologia Genética e, a partir dela, percorremos os conceitos basais da teoria piagetiana como: ação, esquemas de ação, sistema de esquemas de ação, assimilação, acomodação, adaptação, função semiótica, significado, significante, símbolo, signo e indice, bem como inserimos novos conceitos que auxiliaram na compreensão da passagem do Período Pré-Operatório ao Período Operatório Concreto, como transfiguração, esquemas de transfiguração e sistema de esquemas de transfiguração. Em especial, neste desenvolvimento, apresentamos e discutimos uma definição explicita de significação, dada por Piaget... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In this work, we proposed to analyze the notion of signification according to Genetic Epistemology. This concept (signification) was chosen due to its relevance to Piaget‟s Theory, once it is directly related to the conception of consciousness in Piaget, as well as due its long-range through the entire construction of Piaget‟s theory, which allowed us to understand the Genetic Epistemology proposal more clearly and to bring this concept to a more synthesized scenario within the Piaget‟s theory. The work was guided by the Piaget‟s conception, which says that to give signification to a sensory tableaux or to an object is to insert it into a schemes system or, in another words, to assimilate it on a schemes system, and, specially that the knowledge is a result of action of the subject on the object, which leads the subject to insert it into a schemes system of actions and operations on representation by means of assimilation, as well as modify, through accommodation, this schemes system, specifying the knowledge process as a continuation of the adaptation process acoording to Piaget‟s definition. During this work , we made a brief characterization of Piaget‟s proposal of a Genetic Epistemology, and from it, we went through the basal concepts of Piaget‟s theory: action, action schemes, action schemes system, assimilation, accommodation, adaptation, function semiotics, meaning, signifier, symbol, sign and index, and also we insert new concepts that helped on understanding the transition from Preoperative Period to Operative Concrete Period, like transfiguration, transfiguration schemes , transfiguration schemes system . In this development we particularly present and discuss an explicit definition of signification, given by Piaget, and we contextualize its in the first four stages of The Origin of Intelligence in the Child as well as in the initial experiment of The Notion of Time... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Man kann die allgemeinen Probleme, denen Weber sich in seinen kulturwissenschaftlichen Studien gewidmet hat, in zwei Hauptprobleme zusammenfassen: das erste liegt im Verhältnis zwischen kulturwissenschaftlichen Allgemeinbegriffen einerseits sowie empirischer Realität d. h. je individuellen historischen Ereignissen und sozialen Handlungen andererseits; das zweite bezieht sich auf die Trennlinie zwischen Werturteilen und wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnis beziehungsweise auf die Unterscheidung zwischen dem „Seinsollenden“ und dem „Seienden“. Zur Lösung der ersten Problematik schlägt Weber seinen Ansatz des „idealtypischen Vorgehens“ vor, zur Lösung der zweiten sein Konzept der „Werturteilsfreiheit“ oder „wertfrei“ der Kulturwissenschaften. Wir haben uns in unserer Arbeit vorrangig auf die erste Problematik konzentriert, ohne jedoch deren Zusammenhang mit der zweiten außer Acht zu lassen. Hier kommt die Frage: Inwieweit ist Webers „idealtypische Begriffsbildung“ tauglich als eine rationale Rekonstruktion der empirischen Realität? Im Sinne Weber ist der „Idealtypus“ wohl die einzige Möglichkeit, kulturwissenschaftlich zu forschen. Somit entsteht zwangsläufig das Problem, dass das kulturwissenschaftliche Erkenntnisobjekt nur auf eine idealtypische Weise zugänglich ist. So gesehen wäre es unmöglich, die Kulturwissenschaften als Wirklichkeitswissenschaften zu bezeichnen. Daher sollte man auch weiterhin über alternative kulturwissenschaftliche Erklärungsmodelle nachdenken. Zu denken wäre hier etwa an Hempels DN-Erklärung, Drays rationale Erklärung, von Wrights praktischen Syllogismus, Schwemmers rational- rekonstruktive Erklärung sowie verschiedene Modelle weiterer moderner Autoren, die einen wichtigen Anteil an der Diskussion der Frage nach einer gangbaren kulturwissenschaftlichen Methode für die Erklärung von Handlungen hatten. Die Frage selbst wird unseres Erachtens jedoch auch der künftigen Kulturwissenschaft erhalten bleiben und sich mit der Entwicklung der Kulturwissenschaften selbst weiterentwickeln. / The general problems Weber addresses in his cultural studies can be summarised as two main problems. The first one is located in the relationship between cultural general terms on the one hand as well as empirical reality, i. e. based on historical events and social action on the other hand; the second one refers to the parting line between value judgements and scientific knowledge which is to say to the differentiation between “what should be” and “what is”. Weber proposes his approach of the “ideal-typical action” in order to solve the first problem; to solve the second problem he proposes his concept of “freedom from value judgements” or “value-free” cultural studies. In our work we are primarily focusing on the first problem without losing sight of its relationship with the second problem. So here comes the question: to what degree is Weber’s “ideal-typical concept formation” suitable as a rational reconstruction of empirical reality? In Weber’s sense, the “ideal type” is arguably the only possibility of conducting research in a cultural-scientific context. In this way the problem inevitably arises that the scientific object of cultural studies can only be accessed through an ideal-typical approach. If we looked at it that way, it would be impossible to consider cultural studies as real life science. For this reason we should continue thinking about alternative explanatory models concerning cultural studies. Perhaps here Hempel’s D-N explanation comes to mind, Dray’s rational explanation, von Wright’s practical syllogisms, Schwemmer’s rational-reconstructive explanation as well as different models of other authors who played an important role in the discussion of the question of a practicable method in cultural studies concerning the explanation of action. As far as we are concerned the question itself will continue to be explored in future cultural studies and with the further development of cultural studies continue developing itself.

This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students’ conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the teachers’ ability to engage in collaborative inquiry. Observational, written, and interview data were collected from observations of teachers’ face-to-face meetings and reflections, individual interviews, a focus group interview, and online reflections. The results of this study revealed that collaborative inquiry is a form of professional development that includes answering curricular questions through observation, communication, action, and reflection. This approach was developed and implemented by middle school science teachers. The premise of an inquiry is based on a need with students. Middle school science teachers came to consensus about actions to affect students’ conceptual understanding, took action as stated, and shared their reflections of the actions taken with consideration to current and upcoming school activities. Activities involved teachers brainstorming and sharing with one another, talking about how the variables were merged into their curriculum, and how they impacted students’ conceptual understanding. Teachers valued talking with one another about science content and pedagogy, but did find the inquiry portion of the approach to require more development. The greatest challenge to conducting collaborative inquiry and reflection was embedding teacher inquiry within a prescribed inquiry that was already being conducted by the Sundown School District. Collaborative inquiry should be structured so that it meets the needs of teachers in order to attend to the needs of students. A conducive atmosphere for collaborative inquiry and reflection is one in which administrators make the process mandatory and facilitate the process by removing an existing inquiry. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.