The Epistemology of Action Research

Epistemological positions with regard to action research are presented for Empiricism, Logical Positivism, Structuralism, Pragmatism, and Dialectical Materialism. These schools are examined with regard to the following questions: How does man produce knowledge? How does man justify knowledge? What is the relation between theory and practice? What is the relation between values or ideology and science? and What are the implications of the foregoing for action research? The reasons for the rejection of action research by Empiricism, Logical Positivism, and Structuralism are presented, as well as the basis for its acceptance by Pragmatism and Dialectical Materialism.