Qualitative research on anomalous experience: Between Borges and a hard place…
Author
Summary, in English
Abstract in Undetermined
With the help of the Argentine writer Borges, I will illustrate the absurdity of assuming that science may either grasp reality fully or convey it through abstractions. My departing point is that every methodological perspective has something to contribute to our attempts to elucidate anomalous experiences, and that the extremes of “realness” or abstraction lead to fallacies. The articles in this issue exhibit a different array of methods that clearly advance our understanding of anomalous experiences and the historical and social cultural matrix in which they are embedded.
With the help of the Argentine writer Borges, I will illustrate the absurdity of assuming that science may either grasp reality fully or convey it through abstractions. My departing point is that every methodological perspective has something to contribute to our attempts to elucidate anomalous experiences, and that the extremes of “realness” or abstraction lead to fallacies. The articles in this issue exhibit a different array of methods that clearly advance our understanding of anomalous experiences and the historical and social cultural matrix in which they are embedded.
Department/s
Publishing year
2010
Language
English
Pages
73-78
Publication/Series
Qualitative Research in Psychology
Volume
7
Document type
Journal article
Topic
- Psychology
Keywords
- anomalous experience
- philosophy of science
- qualitative methodology
Status
Published
Research group
- CERCAP (Center for Research on Consciousness and Anomalous Psychology)