直觉与顿悟:知识生产的隐性过程

Intuition and Inspiration:The Tacit Process of Knowledge Production

在社会科学的研究过程中,研究者的直觉和顿悟对于规律的揭示、概念的发明、机制的发掘有着重要的作用。然而,在我们的研究方法教学和讨论中,人们通常会有意或无意地回避直觉和顿悟的价值。运用科学的研究方法探寻因果关系和因果机制是知识生产的显性过程,通过直觉与顿悟接近事物的本质和规律则是知识生产的隐性过程。社会科学研究者需要有方法论的自觉,但不能成为'唯方法主义者',以为方法可以直达'真理'的彼岸。在研究方法之外,直觉和顿悟在'知识生产'中发挥了催化剂的作用。

In the study of social science, the researchers’ intuition and inspiration play an important role in the invention of concepts and the discovery of causal mechanisms. However, in our research methods, teaching, and discussions, most researchers either intentionally or unintentionally underestimate the value of intuition and inspiration. The use of scientific research methods to explore causalities and causal mechanisms is an explicit process in knowledge production, whereas intuition and inspiration are a tacit process in the nature and law of social facts. Researchers should have a methodological selfawareness but not a methodological fundamentalism. Intuition and inspiration play the role of a catalyst in social-science knowledge production.