The ologies

I am trying to read a book called 'The Foundations of Social Research' but I am getting lost in the ologies and isms. So we have epistemology, ontology, constructionism, positivism, realism, etc etc. Groan.
I wonder sometimes if my parents, instead of being constrained by the brethren, were free to encourage me to think critically about things, about different perspectives whether I would have such a big problem now with all these philosophical things.

It really is getting me down!! how crazy is that. I feel I ought to find grasping these concepts easily and the book is supposed to be for beginners, something I seem to be - permanently.

If only the examples in the book were about things I could relate to but they aren't - apart from the bit about a tree.

See people keep telling me that epistemology is about how we know what we know. I read books, that is how I know what I know - but i think that is not what they mean.........

I am trying to focus on my doctoral research but other events are still getting in the way, like phone calls and emails from people wanting help or to tell me their story. At the same time though I have been deeply moved by the support of so many people.

I am not alone! There is a team of us - Team Warpath because maybe that is what we are on. Push someone too hard and they will eventually react.

So that's it for today

Sunshine, diversions and obstacles

The sun is finally shining - yesterday and today were lovely sunny days. My face got a bit burnt yesterday annoyingly!
I must get back to my research - I am very good at being diverted from it by obstacles thrown in my way. Nothing else should matter - I know I am doing the right thing here whatever anyone else says!

Focus, focus on one thing at a time, get the history section written, interview 4 more people, and so on until it is done!! Then go back to the quantitative and pick up where I have left off.

Don't let anything or anyone get in my way

Updates

I am currently in Melbourne visiting my daughter and her family. While she is at work, I work too on my research. I underestimated the impact that this work would have on me. Since June this year I have become gradually more and more focussed on it - and it drains my energies. So much is happening in the brethren world too that it is hard to keep up - Pie Days, park benches, charity commission matters etc etc.
I am not entirely clear why the only way I find that I can survive this work is to shut myself off - normally i am in contact with a lot of former brethren, hearing their stories, trying to help ease their pain but now I want more to be like a hermit! I guess it is  a form of burn out. So I must listen to myself.

In any event when reading through the transcripts of interviews I need to shut out my past and also other people's stories in order to focus just on what my interviewees have said. Which is why I want to change my supervisor as she is also a former member of the brethren - it feels all a bit incestuous.

I was going to go through Lifton's 8 criteria but haven't done so. I will but I am not sure anyone is listening. So perhaps there is no point because the point of doing that was to get comments from others.