How we know what we know

We know what we know through personal experiences, education, observation, research, and learning from others. Through our personal experiences it could be through our 5 senses taste, hearing, smell, sight, and touch. We know things like certain historical dates, different science facts, and math equations due to our education. Every day we are learning through our observation of life. We learn statistical data through the research we conduct. Lastly, we learn many facts throughout life from the people we meet. It involves critical thinking, questioning, and seeking evidence to support our beliefs and knowledge. There is one approach that questions how we know things, called epistemology. Epistemology examines human knowledge's "nature, scope, and limits" The three approaches to how we know things are known as the empirical approach, the interpretive approach, and the critical approach. These approaches are essential to knowing the truth and how we understand things with a deeper meaning.

We can know the truth objectively through the empirical approach, with data supporting the truth. The empirical approach assumes that objective truths can be discovered through data and quantitative research. It is based on one’s observation, investigation, or experiment rather than one’s abstract reasoning, theoretical analysis, or speculation. Usually, these studies display data using tables and graphs. Empirical approach researchers are also more prone to using quantitative research to collect what they need to know to get the most correct data. Some of these researchers may use surveys, the scientific method, or experiments to gather quantitative data. Studies have shown that quantitative data can be more useful than qualitative data because it is based on accurate truths and proven data, while qualitative data can be more personal and affect the research being conducted.

The Interpretive Approach views truth as subjective. Subjective truth is highly dependent on opinion and perspective. This approach has little objective because it has to rely totally on the participants rather than the researcher. Interpretive approach researchers use more of a qualitative data research base which will help with more in-depth insights and help explore subjective experiences. Some of these researchers could use interviews, focus groups, and observations to collect qualitative data. Studies have shown that qualitative data could be more useful than quantitative data in some research projects because qualitative data can provide a deeper understanding of personal experiences or beliefs. For example, I could go up to my dad and tell him that his blue shirt looks great on him, but he could say, "My shirt is green! Not blue." Neither of us is wrong because a color is subjective. Two scientists, one at MIT, and the other at the University of Illinois in Chicago, researched color realism. Most experts subscribe to a different view: "That nothing is colored — at least not physical objects in the perceiver's environment" (Cuthbert, 2020). The truth is subjective due to our brain's cognitive ease. Our brains must work hard to perceive something. So, in other words, the easier our brain is working, the more likely it is to believe something is true. Our cognitive ease plays a huge part in our everyday lives. Common sense facts are easy for us to understand like “fire is hot”. Our brains know that fire is hot, but what if you’ve never actually touched fire? We’ve been trained to believe that fire is hot without actually touching it.

If an organization hired me to determine why so many employees quit, I would take a survey approach. Surveys provide quantitative data to understand overall trends and patterns. Quantitative data collection is all about numbers, charts, and graphs. It is a list of numerical data that can be inspected by using statistical techniques. This approach is very important for many varied reasons. By using the empirical approach, we can provide objective and verifiable information. We can also test the hypothesis, which guides us to understanding the relationships between the variables. Researchers also using the quantitative approach can communicate the results using unbiased statistics. Surveys also allow companies to effectively collect honest and impactful feedback. By collecting this feedback, the company will be able to improve on what’s needed. Surveys can also help in reassurance if something is already working or if they need to adjust improve the company's flaws. By the employee doing an exit survey, the company will also learn what employees enjoy and what they’re doing well in.

To begin with the survey, I would make sure that every employee would know that it was anonymous. This allows the person who’s taking the survey to be truthful and open without any regret. The only part of the survey that would not be anonymous is the department in which they work. That part would not be anonymous because the issue may be within that certain department. The survey would consist of 15 questions, and they would all be multiple-choice questions where you choose between the range of strongly agree to strongly disagree. The survey does not need to be wordy, lengthy, or time-consuming so we can have the survey taker’s full attention. For example, a question on this survey could be “There is a good fit between my values and those of this company; and I would recommend this company to others”. That question is important because it is based on the quantitative data, we collect from the answers the company can work on their values. Another question that could be on the survey would be “On average, how many days per week does management communicate property updates?” Communication is key to success in any company, and knowing the communication skills from the quantitative data could be very rewarding.


To defend my approach to someone with an interpretive perspective, I would first display the data from the surveys. Displaying the data gives a better understanding of how quantitative data looks and its ability to help you read the data more clearly. Doing the survey is also going to help prove that it provides accurate and helpful information, which from an interpretive perspective may cause personal biases or misinterpretation. Bias can be extremely detrimental to scientific progress as it can lead to the distortion of reality and thereby affect the validity and reliability of research findings.