How do I know what I think till I see what I say ?’ An aphorism and its implications for creative theorizing
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12848458 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Richard Swedberg (0000-0003-0635-0581, Cornell University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-18 |
| Publication date | 2019-06-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Distinktion Journal of Social Theory (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1600-910X • E-ISSN: 2159-9149 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/1600910x.2019.1630846 |
| OpenAlex | W2952447199 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 45 |
The following aphorism is used as the point of departure for the discussion in this article: ‘How do I know what I think till I see what I say?’ Its literal meaning is that it is through the very act of speaking that you get to know what you think; but the aphorism also has a suggestive quality to it. As a consequence, many artists and thinkers have referred to the aphorism and sometimes also elaborated on it. That the message of the aphorism is relevant for social science as well can be exemplified by the important interest that Robert K. Merton has shown for it, primarily to probe the process of creativity in science. Following up on Merton’s ideas, but also taking them in a somewhat different direction, I argue that the aphorism may be of help when you try to theorize in a creative way in social science. Examples of this are provided
Aesthetics · Aphorism · Art · Epistemology · Literature · make.believe · Need to know · Computer Science · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics · Philosophy · Philosophy and Theoretical Science · Psychology
Sensemaking in organizations
Men of ideas
On the shoulders of giants
Judgment under Uncertainty
The Concept of Mind
The misunderstood limits of folk science
Time of Conscious Intention to Act in Relation to Onset of Cerebral Activity (Readiness-Potential)
The Interpretation of Cultures
Cartesianische Linguistik
My Life Philosophy
I.—Knowing How and Knowing that
How Do you Make Sociology out of Data? Robert K. Merton’s Course in Theorizing (Soc 213–214)
Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact
The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity
Tricks of the Trade
Formation De l'Esprit Scientifique
An Interview with Robert K. Merton
On the Gradual Construction of Thoughts During Speech
The Way We Think Now
Social Theory and Social Structure
Explanation and Understanding
The Sociology of Styles of Thought
Writing as thinking
Men of Ideas
The Invention of Creativity
The Elementary Forms of Religious Life
On the Shoulders of Giants
A Micro-Macro Theory of Intellectual Creativity
Three Fragments From a Sociologist's Notebooks
On Sharpening Sociologists' Prose
Structural Holes and Good Ideas
A Theory of Structure
Sociological Theory
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2025 (2) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |