The Challenge of Competing Explanations

Bibliographic Data

ID20293106
AuthorsFritz Oser (University of Fribourg, corresponding author), Fritz K Oser, Helmut Reich
Year2009
Volume30
Issue3
Pages178-186
Publication date2009-12-24
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-716X • E-ISSN: 1423-0054
PublisherS. Karger AG (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.1159/000273176
OpenAlexW2000495171
LanguageEN
Citations received8

We hypothesize the existence of rudimentary and more developed forms of relating to each other 2 ‘theories’ (A and B) for the explanation of a scientific-technical, social, philosophical, or religious contingency, forms that at the highest levels may extend cognition beyond Piagetian formal operations. The development of this ‘thinking in terms of complementarity’ is demonstrated. From the patterns of the 216 responses of 24 subjects aged 6–25 years to 9 problems with 2 explanations each, a developmental trend is proposed, characterized by four levels. At level I, either A or B is usually chosen; at level IV, A and B are consciously connected and their relationship is explained. An analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for age group (p

Cognition · Cognitive development · Cognitive psychology · Complementarity (molecular biology) · Contingency · Developmental psychology · Epistemology · Cognitive Science and Mapping · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Philosophy · Psychology · Scientific Research and Philosophical Inquiry · Social Psychology

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