CFP: Introduction to Second-Order Science Research

Introduction to Second-Order Science Research 

This is a link to the full invite http://bit.ly/2i5YiMk

To be held during the February 2017 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 

Saturday, February 18, 2017 
Sheraton Boston Hotel 
Hampton Room 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm 

We will be having a brainstorming and planning session on the materials attached. The goal will be to submit one or more projects for National Science Foundation funding. 

Abstract: The Social, Behavioral and Economic sciences (SBE) are facing pressure from government agencies and scholars from other disciplines regarding the robustness, reliability, and relevance of the research being performed. This project describes how to operationalize one methodology for improving such robustness, reliability, and relevance – Second-Order Science. Second-Order Science applies the scientific method to generate and question potential variations in any given SBE research program by seeking to make explicit the presuppositions which underlay its models. These presuppositions answer three questions which go to the essence of how the humanness of the actors being studied is transformed into the representational rigor of a scientific model. What is being observed? How do the observed actors interact (with each other and with their surroundings)? How is meaning ascribed to observations (both by the actors being studied and by the scientists doing the observing)? Far too often, the values assumed in these presuppositions are not disclosed nor is there any discussion of alternate value choices and their potential consequences. Decision-makers who act in reliance on these models are thus being deprived of information which may well affect their decision making. By asking about the effect of variations in these assumed values (doing science on the science), Second-Order Science can reveal fragility and robustness and thereby contribute to reliability and relevance. Second-Order Science is in need of supporting experimentation to assess its validity. The project addresses how such experimentation might be carried out.

Note the session is free and NO AAAS registration is required.