How Students Define Science and Humanities: Analysis based on Theoretical Positioning

DOI Web Site Open Access
  • OKAMOTO Sachi
    Center for International Education and Exchange, Osaka University

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 学生は理系・文系をどのように定義するか―理論的立場に基づく考察―
  • ガクセイ ワ リケイ ・ ブンケイ オ ドノ ヨウ ニ テイギ スル カ : リロンテキ タチバ ニ モトズク コウサツ

Search this article

Abstract

<p>The division of science and humanities sometimes generates conflicts in our community. To identify a possible gap between the two areas, I conducted research to elucidate how university students define science and humanities. Forty-two undergraduate/graduate students were administered a semi-structured interview, and the collected data were analyzed by qualitative data analysis software. The analysis discovered 7 distinct categories that divided science and humanities: “target of interest”, “skill”, “nature of knowledge production”, “direction of knowledge production”, “process of thinking”, “starting point of thinking”, and “end point of thinking.” “Process of thinking” was the most popular category; however, considerable diversity existed among students’ views. These categorizations also suggested their non-negligible association with ontologies, epistemologies, and methodologies adopted in academic disciplines. Further analysis revealed that science was associated with positivism, monism, empiricism, and rationalism, whereas the humanities were linked to interpretivism and pluralism.</p>

Journal

Related Projects

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top