Version 1
: Received: 15 November 2018 / Approved: 19 November 2018 / Online: 19 November 2018 (07:05:11 CET)
How to cite:
Phillips, F.; Lin, H.; Schifter, T.; Folse, N. Augmented Popperian Experiments: A Framework for Sustainability Knowledge Development across Contexts. Preprints2018, 2018110426. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201811.0426.v1.
Phillips, F.; Lin, H.; Schifter, T.; Folse, N. Augmented Popperian Experiments: A Framework for Sustainability Knowledge Development across Contexts. Preprints 2018, 2018110426. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201811.0426.v1.
Cite as:
Phillips, F.; Lin, H.; Schifter, T.; Folse, N. Augmented Popperian Experiments: A Framework for Sustainability Knowledge Development across Contexts. Preprints2018, 2018110426. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201811.0426.v1.
Phillips, F.; Lin, H.; Schifter, T.; Folse, N. Augmented Popperian Experiments: A Framework for Sustainability Knowledge Development across Contexts. Preprints 2018, 2018110426. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201811.0426.v1.
Abstract
The challenges to sustainability governance across multiple geographical/cultural contexts lead us to the “piecemeal engineering” idea advocated by the philosopher Karl Popper, which explicitly considers context. We argue for adopting the piecemeal engineering approach, augmented by adaptive policies and modern (online) collaboration platforms to maximize the prospects of sustainable practices worldwide. This recommended course is not intended to be a theory in itself. Rather, it is a well-grounded, practical and practicable stop-gap measure in times when complexity and change outpace theories and strategies. We present a philosophical foundation for this “Augmented Popperian Experimentation.” Focusing on The Water Network (the largest collaborative platform for water researchers and professionals), we show that sustainability-oriented organizations in the water realm and others are inching toward the practice we advocate. We discuss implications.
Keywords
sustainability; governance; piecemeal engineering; collaboration; Karl Popper
Subject
SOCIAL SCIENCES, Other
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
