Philosophy of Science: Recent Developments and Implications for Developing an Egyptian Marketing
PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPING AN EGYPTIAN MARKETING SCIENCE AHMED I. GHONEIM
Cairo University
ABSTRACT
The main theme of this paper is that non-Egyptian marketing science is not completely valid for us in Egypt. Accepting a hypothesis derived from a non-Egyptian theory does not mean the theory is "true" because, to the contrary of the old philosophy of science, no finite number of empirical tests can ever establish the truth of any theory. Similarly, rejecting a hypothesis derived from a non-Egyptian theory does not add much to our knowledge since we know in advance that marketing theories are contextually bounded according to the new philosophy of science. Also on what basis would we reject that hypothesis? is it the hypothesis itself that is wrong or the process of testing a non-Egyptian hypothesis against Egyptian data that is logically wrong?
The issues highlighted in this paper are exceedingly controversial. The author hopes for, and certainly welcomes scholarly criticism for more refinement of that extremely important topic.
INTRODUCTION
This paper starts with outlining and briefly evaluating the "old” philosophical schools of science. Attention turns next to highlighting the "new" philosophical approaches; the R/C perspective. From this follows an appraisal of the R/C approach. The discussion then takes up the impact of the new approach on the development of marketing theory and research. Finally, suggestions for doing marketing science in Egypt are briefly presented.
THE OLD PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE
(1)
POSITIVISM
Positivism emerged during the 192O 's by an informal group of scientists and philosophers of science called "Vienna Circle". Positivism is centered on a major principle called verification theory of meaning. This theory means that scientific propositions are only meaningful if they can be empirically verified (Anderson 1983). The goal of science in the Positivistic view
Cairo University
ABSTRACT
The main theme of this paper is that non-Egyptian marketing science is not completely valid for us in Egypt. Accepting a hypothesis derived from a non-Egyptian theory does not mean the theory is "true" because, to the contrary of the old philosophy of science, no finite number of empirical tests can ever establish the truth of any theory. Similarly, rejecting a hypothesis derived from a non-Egyptian theory does not add much to our knowledge since we know in advance that marketing theories are contextually bounded according to the new philosophy of science. Also on what basis would we reject that hypothesis? is it the hypothesis itself that is wrong or the process of testing a non-Egyptian hypothesis against Egyptian data that is logically wrong?
The issues highlighted in this paper are exceedingly controversial. The author hopes for, and certainly welcomes scholarly criticism for more refinement of that extremely important topic.
INTRODUCTION
This paper starts with outlining and briefly evaluating the "old” philosophical schools of science. Attention turns next to highlighting the "new" philosophical approaches; the R/C perspective. From this follows an appraisal of the R/C approach. The discussion then takes up the impact of the new approach on the development of marketing theory and research. Finally, suggestions for doing marketing science in Egypt are briefly presented.
THE OLD PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE
(1)
POSITIVISM
Positivism emerged during the 192O 's by an informal group of scientists and philosophers of science called "Vienna Circle". Positivism is centered on a major principle called verification theory of meaning. This theory means that scientific propositions are only meaningful if they can be empirically verified (Anderson 1983). The goal of science in the Positivistic view
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