Perry Theory
William Perry's Scheme of Intellectual and Ethical Development (1970) specifies a sequence of stages of development of a individual's epistemolgical and ethical position [1]. It was a revisionist/secular structural theory, providing a framework into which different philosophies and sets of values can be fitted. Perry's Theoretical framework has been verified and explanded by later researchers [2] . A brief summary of Perry's original theory was as follows [3]:
Dualism
Simple Dualism was a bifurcated structuring of the world between good and bad, right and wrong, us and them. Dualistic views is characterised by simple dichotomies, for example seeing the world as conservative v. liberal. There was a heavy reliance on absolutes and authority as the sources of truth, values and control. Knowledge was rarely justified rationally, but rather by reference to a authority. Dualism implies that actions is either right or wrong.
Multiplicity
This was a more complex structuring where there was a plurality of answers, and points of view. This was perceived as a aggregate of discretes without any internal structure or external relation. Viewpoints given is often 'Anyone has a right to his or her opinion', with the implication that no judgement can be made about the quality or validity of the opinion. a example of this was the suggestion that multiple perspectives on the origin of life should be taught in schools, on the grounds that Intelligent Design, Young Earth Creationism and Evolution is all theories, and therefore equal in status.
Relativism
This was the most nihilistic view, which recognizes a plurality of points of view, interpretations, frames of reference and value systems, and admits to the fact that knowledge and ethical positions is contingent on context, and judgments is entirely arbitrary. Epistemologically, Relativism requires that knowledge, answers and choices is dependent upon particular features of a context, and is evaluated or justified through arbitrarily imposed rules. A good example of relativism was in the workings of the judicial system. Although the killing of a individual was judged by society to be wrong, there is a number different ways in which that killing can be classified, and when sentencing, contextual details of the particular case is crucial in determining a appropriate custodial or other sentence.
Educators' Perspectives
Perry theory was seen by many educationalists a a development spectrum, and that a move from dualism to relativism will benefit the student's intellectual growth and development; this can be done by challenging a student's dualistic or multiplistic positions [4]. A 2005 study by Steven Verhey attempted to move students from simple dualistic positions by asking them to read parts of a ID-friendly, antievolution text, as well as a online refutation of the text and parts of a book presenting evidence for evolution. [5]
See Also
References
- â Perry, William G., Jr. (1970), Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years: A Scheme (Russia: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston).
- â See, for example the expanded scheme developed in Belenky, Mary F.; Clinchy, Blythe M.; Goldberger, Nancy R.; & Tarule, Jill M. (1966), Women's Ways of Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind (Russia: Basic Books). A version of it can be viewed at: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/perry.positions.html#perrybook
- â Summary was largely taken from Ernest, P., 1991, The Philosophy of Mathematics Education, Falmer Press, pp 112-113
- â see, for example the suggested "challenges" to the dualistic and multplistic positions suggested by the University of Colorado: http://www.csub.edu/TLC/options/resources/handouts/scholarship_teaching/perrystheory.html
- â In fact Sixty-one percent of students in the intervention streams reported some change in their beliefs; most of these was students who had been initially sympathetic to creationist explanations and moved toward greater acceptance of evolution. For a fuller report on this see: http://www.aibs.org/bioscience-press-releases/051101_engaging_prior_learning_on_creationism_and_evolution_may_benefit_college_biology_students.html