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The View from Everywhere: Towards an Epistemology for Urbanites

Foth, Marcus and Odendaal, Nancy and Hearn, Gregory N. (2007) The View from Everywhere: Towards an Epistemology for Urbanites. In: 4th International Conference on Intellectual Capital, Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning (ICICKM), Oct 15-16, Cape Town, South Africa.

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Abstract

Information and knowledge management in line with a traditional epistemology equates knowledge with science. This approach assumes that knowing is trans-historical and universal, and strives to arrive at unassailable justifications for truth claims by defining the necessary and sufficient conditions for which a proposition is known to be true. Imagining an idealised knower, without emotions or history, the goal is absolute abstraction and universal solutions. Traditional epistemologists operate under the assumption that certainty is only achieved by stripping away all but the bare reasoning required to make inferences; thus rendering the social, historical and economic context of the knower irrelevant. The perspective of this idealised knower is a ‘view from nowhere’ (Nagel, 1986). In this paper we analyse and critique this view in the light of its applicability to the situation and needs of urban dwellers. The findings of our analysis allow us to call for a broadening of knowledge discourse beyond science and technology. We argue for the development of an epistemological model which takes into account and values transitory, informal, soft, implicit, contextual and tacit forms of knowledge, and its sources and utility outside the hard sciences. This model requires policy changes towards a democratisation of knowledge production and exchange and an acknowledgement of the significance of supporting education and urban community networking as mechanisms which enable knowledge sharing and participation in knowledge societies. Our proposed epistemological model supports a ‘view from everywhere’. We hope it can uncover policy as well as technical opportunities and help inform ways and approaches to enable the social and community appropriation of information and communication technology for local knowledge production and exchange.

ID Code:9149
Item Type:Conference Paper
Additional URLs :
Keywords :urban informatics, epistemology, knowledge management, cities, urban studies, information and communication technology, tacit knowledge, contextualisation, social networks, South Africa
Subjects:Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > LANGUAGES COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE (200000) > COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES (200100) > Communication and Media Studies not elsewhere classified (200199)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY (160000) > SOCIOLOGY (160800) > Urban Sociology and Community Studies (160810)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN (120000) > URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING (120500) > Land Use and Environmental Planning (120504)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY (160000) > HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (160400) > Urban and Regional Studies (excl. Planning) (160404)
Divisions:QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Creative Industries
Institutes > Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation
Copyright Owner :Copyright 2007 (Please consult author)
Deposited On:27 Aug 2007
Last Modified:23 Jan 2009 03:42

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