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DOI 10.14526/2070-4798-2019-14-1-153-158 Methodological means of scientific research (invitation to discussion)
Albert R. Baymurzin1*, Sergey D. Neverkovich2
1Russian State Social University Moscow, Russia ORCID: 0000-0003-2745-5630, miit511@mail.ru* 2Russian State University of Physical culture, Sport, Youth and Tourism, Moscow, Russia ORCID: 0000-0003-1292-2734, neverkovich@mail.ru
Abstract: Questions of methodology in the organization of scientific research are of paramount importance, this applies to both theoretical and empirical research, as the correctly chosen methodology largely depends on the planning, organization and interpretation of the results of the study. Materials. The article deals with the modern understanding of the methodological apparatus of scientific research. Research methods. Analysis and generalization of scientific literature. Conclusion. Modern methodology performs two important functions: it is the basis for the organization, implementation and interpretation of the results of scientific research, as well as a kind of vector of development of modern science, which opens up new opportunities for both theoretical and empirical research.
Key words: methodology, information, image, thought, thought image, communication, research method, metasubject, mental activity, knowledge, science.
For citation: Albert R. Baymurzin*, Sergey D. Neverkovich. Methodological means of scientific research (invitation to discussion). The Russian Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2019; 14(1): 132-136. DOI 10.14526/2070-4798-2019-14-1-153-158
Introduction
Questions of methodology during the research organization are very important. It concerns both theoretical and empiric scientific research works, as research planning, organization and results interpretation depends on correctly chosen methodology. The presented article considers the questions of scientific research methodology.
The aim of the research: to consider methodological means of scientific research
Results and Discussion
In order to understand the questions of methodology it is necessary to define the most general initial notion, which is the elementary unit. The first elementary unit is the notion of information. Information (from Latin information "explanation, presentation, notion of something") presents data irrespective of the form of its presentation [2,3,4]. This term demands some specification, as further it restricts the logic of the research. Let's introduce a unified notion of the term "information". Information is the image in the consciousness of
a separate person or independently existing from the consciousness of a separate person, but earlier formed by a person or a group of people. Out of consciousness images can exist only if they were once formed by a person. Image is the elementary unit of information. On the basis of the elementary unit more difficult units of information are formed. They are thoughtforms, which are difficult images of images systems, received as a result of a person's cognitive activity. They include the following: ideas, notions, regulations, laws and etc. Communication is realized on the basis of information units.
Communication is information exchange through sign-symbolic systems creation and use. These systems condition a person's interaction with the world and other people during different contexts of experience synthesis. Information units are not identical with each other both according to volume and content. They form the blocks. On the basis of them knowledge is formed during the process of communication. Knowledge is the result of a system notion of information units in a person's consciousness, achieved during communication.
Abilities and skills are qualitative levels of knowledge use in practical activity.
Science is the sphere of a person's activity, directed toward objective knowledge of reality creation and systematization [1,5,6,7].
Here we face the main contradiction: a person's consciousness is subjective. It means that consciousness belongs to the definite person. Scientific knowledge should be objective: it should exist irrespective of a subject (a person), should be reproducible, irrespective of the subject. It reproduces knowledge, should be transmittable.
In order to solve this contradiction people created logic and science methodology.
Logic (ancient Greek AoyiK^ - science of correct thinking) is "a science about the forms, methods and laws of intellectual cognitive activity". They are formalized with a logic language [2,8,9]. As the consciousness of the research worker is subjective, knowledge received by the mind reflect subjective notion of an objective reality. Each subject (research worker) has his own world view. It differs from the world view of other subject (other research worker). There appears the necessity to formalize thinking procedures: formalized language creation, the language of arguments and refutation. The base of the formalized logic language form notions and terms. Notion is a thoughtform. A term is a word (sign) which shows the definite thoughtform. The aim of logic is to formalize notions through terms and escape the influence of a research worker's subjective world view. It provides knowledge formation and systematization irrespective of the subject (research worker). It gives an opportunity to get close to the truth.
Truth is an integral objective knowledge.
Methodology is a difficult notion. It should be considered from two positions:
• methodology - (from Greek Ms0o8oXoyia) can be understood in the following way (method and logos) doctrine (knowledge) of methods [5,9].
• methodology - (from ancient Greek ^¿0o8og from ^sra- + 08og, "the way after something" and ancient Greek Xoyog - thought, reason) is the doctrine of methods, ways and strategies of the subject study [5,10].
Methodology is the doctrine of scientific cognition methods. Methods of scientific cognition form the ways of information units getting, interpretation and transfer. As a result of a subject thinking activity. They are transformed into thoughtforms and using formalized procedures logic into knowledge.
Research methods are the ways of initial information getting. Many scientists substitute the notion methodology of scientific cognition for research methods. Research methods form only the first part of scientific cognition methods.
Scientific cognition methods are divided into three groups: general philosophic, general scientific and private scientific.
With the help of general philosophic methods of scientific cognition general laws of nature, society and humankind development are studied. The main aim of philosophic research works is the prime cause revelation. What is the first matter or consciousness? There are three philosophic directions. They determine the prime cause: materialists (matter is the 1st and consciousness is the second), idealists (consciousness is the 1st and matter is the second), dualist (inability to define what is the 1st and what is the 2nd). Taking this into account there appear philosophic contradictions in the methods of getting the initial information and logic of scientific research.
Materialists state that the matter is initial. The methods of getting the initial information are objective. They are based on sense organs use. Logic of scientific research should be based on materialistic base, for example, dialectical materialism.
Idealists state that consciousness is initial. That is why getting the initial information is possible through connecting with general information field (Plato's world of ideas), with the help of "afflatus" and other ways of images formation in the mind of a research worker. Logic of scientific research should be based on idealistic base, for example metaphysics (Kant) or dialectical logic (Hegel) and etc.
Dualists think that the initial information is possible to get with the help of two mentioned above ways and use logic of scientific research on the ideas of materialism and idealism synthesis.
General philosophic methods are classified
according to the main philosophic categories:
• research methods in ontology -entity doctrine;
• research methods in epistemology-consciousness doctrine;
• research methods in praxiology -activity doctrine;
• research methods in axiology -values doctrine;
• research methods in anthropology - human being doctrine.
General philosophic methods of cognition determine world view position of the research worker and form the base for the scientific research.
General scientific methods are typical to all sciences. These methods of cognition help to exchange, reproduce and develop scientific knowledge. General scientific methods are directed toward information units getting, reproduction and improvement:
• basic general cultural information units form a person's world view;
• basic professional information units form knowledge in the definite sphere of a person's activity;
• prognostic basic or professional information units form research base during new knowledge and the existing basic and professional knowledge creation and improvement.
General scientific methods include the following: analysis, synthesis; induction, deduction; formalization, abstraction, modeling, experiment and others.
General scientific approaches should be included into general scientific methods of cognition: historical approach, system-based approach, cybernetic approach and others. The peculiarity of the scientific approach is that it considers the research object not in a static position (as a photograph), but in dynamics, movement, development, improvement or vice versa in regress and etc. The subject of the research will be not only the characteristics of the object, but the initial stage, reasons and consequences of changes.
General scientific methods are mainly based on formal logic of information interpretation (though probabilistic logic can also be used, in
scientific research methodology it is necessary to describe the principles of its work and the laws of this logic (for example, inductive logic)).
Formal logic is the science about the rules of statements transformation. They preserve their true meaning irrespective of included into these statements' notions and also these rules construction [6,11]. General scientific methods of cognition should be considered as the base of theoretical scientific research works formation. Theoretical scientific study is the activity directed toward conceptual apparatus of science or its fields development and connected with development of objective reality and its regularities cognition. It is presented by ideal objects in a form of abstraction or theoretical constructs. The highest mode of theoretical study is a scientific theory. A scientific theory is logically connected system of notions and statements of characteristics, relations and laws of some set of idealized objects [4,11]. General scientific methods of cognition also form theoretical base of empiric studies generalization and interpretation in the definite sphere of activity and on this base theoretical studies construction with further scientific theory formulation.
Private scientific methods of cognition present highly specialized in general empiric research methods. Their aim is the initial specialized professional information units getting on the basis of which special professional knowledge is formed. These research methods are based on formal logic of results interpretation. Private scientific methods of cognition specify or develop the existing theories or create empiric base for a new theory creation. Private scientific research methods have general features and specific characteristics. They are peculiar to different sciences and solved by the research worker aims and objectives.
Let's consider the second meaning of the notion "Methodology" as the way and the strategy of scientific cognition at a level. Metasubject - (meta - "beyond", "above") - going beyond the scope of the research subject. It is cogitative activity type of cognition. First of all, thought is the essence, the main feature and base of the image or the system of images, the system of movement or images change. Cogitative activity is new thoughtforms or
mental constructions creation on the basis of the existing thoughts and images (thoughtforms) in the consciousness of the research worker. It will help to go beyond the scope of general scientific approaches. And these thoughtforms or mental constructions will become the base for the successful activity.
Let's define three main strategies of scientific cognition at a metasubjective level:
1. Constructive-prognostic scientific cognition. It is based on the research works, which are far ahead of their time (Tsiolkovsky showed the principles and the ways of a person's flight in air-free space with the help of rockets, but technologically people were not able to make rockets).
2. Pragmatic-constructive scientific cognition (classical example is the strategy of organization, the strategy of battle actions, the strategy of a sports team before the beginning of the season). Strategist goes beyond the scope of the existing reality and with the help of mental constructions creation considers the ways of strategy realization, in terms of the possible course of events.
3. Constructive-integrative scientific cognition (a research worker critically analyzes and combines knowledge, revealed regularities, laws, theories of different scientists into one general theory or creates his own theory. It is based on the knowledge, regularities and theories revealed by other scientists. A research worker should go beyond the scope of the existing scientific theories, reveal system-basing features in them and create his own integrative theory.
Methodology at a metasubjective level supplements modern general scientific approaches of the research object study. It is something average between general philosophic and general scientific methods of cognition. Theoretical scientific research works at a metasubjective level can be considered a new direction of scientific research works in different spheres of science, including the sphere of physical culture and sport. The main thing is that the research works at a metasubjective level have constructive character. They create mental constructions (ideal constructions). They can be studied. Logic contradictions can be revealed and it is possible to introduce them into practice.
Conclusion
Modern methodology fulfills two important functions: it is the base for the results of the scientific research organization, interpretation and is a specific vector of modern science development. It reveals new opportunities both for theoretical and empiric research works.
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Submitted: 06.02.2019 Author's information:
Albert R. Baymurzin* - Candidate of Pedagogics, Russian State Social University, 129226, Moscow, Wilhelm Pieck str, House 4, building 1, e-mail: Miit511@mail.ru*
Sergey D. Neverkovich - Doctor of Pedagogics, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport, Youth and Tourism, 105122, Russia, Moscow, Sirenivyi boulevard, House 4, e-mail: neverkovich@mail.ru
