Epistemological and ontological assumptions present in the history of ecology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.16.26.3.0.260Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to show the epistemological assumptions (empiricists, rationalists and ratioempirist) and ontological (individualistic, holistic and systemist) present in the history of ecology, analyzing three jobs (Clements 1916; Gleason 1926; Lindeman 1942). This article analyzes the emergence in the history of the ecology of a moderate position. We defend the thesis that from the work developed by Lindeman in 1942 began to emerge in ecology a conceptual framework that implicitly takes a systemist ontological and racioempirista epistemological approach, and fits into the philosophical principles developed by Bunge. We also show the disadvantages of implementing the rationalist and empiricist epistemology in ecological research, and the advantages of using the ratioempiricism epistemology. Currently, research programs in ecology follow one of three ontological and epistemological principles.
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