2.1 Introduction
27
understanding of the economy, so that it matches their own ideas and policy priorities
(Carstensen and Matthijs 2018).
Although policy paradigms will not be covered in this book, the three examples
above show that, when it comes to paradigms and theories, the ideational elements
play an important role. My concern will be to investigate and report on the role of
research paradigms and social theories in defining eThekwini’s green and ecological
infrastructure policy landscape. To be sure, from the brief review above, we notice
that paradigms and theories are about a variety of ideational elements that influence
the policy process, and that the context in which they evolve is of central importance.
The chapter begins with a description of paradigms and theories and how
researchers use them to describe the world and to inform policy, be it at a local
or national level, or in world politics. In the second section, the importance of
paradigms and theories will be outlined. I will focus on the significance of these
cognitive processes in the discipline of International Relations (IR), since I am most
familiar with this discipline. This will be followed by a discussion on the importance
of causation and why we need to take it more seriously. With regard to the importance
of paradigms, theories and causality, I will discuss why researchers often negatively
perceive paradigms and theories, before ending with my conclusion.
2.2 Conceptual Building Blocks
As I have already mentioned, I will consider two conceptual building blocks from
which the rest of the investigation follow, namely, paradigms and theories. In short,
these intangible cognitive tools play an important role in causal chains in that concrete
activities within policy processes are often not causes in themselves, but they are the
consequence of paradigms and theories. To this end, according to Guba (2002), Ridley
(2003), Lhabitant (2004), Andreaotti (2006) and Komisarczuk and Welch (2006), a
Chinese proverb states that ‘Theory without practice is idle, practice without theory
is blind’ (Andreotti 2006). Gay (1979: 178) cites Zais’s (1976: 87) version of this
statement in the following way: ‘Theory without practice is idle speculation while
practice without theory constitutes little more than blind or random groping’. This is
possibly what Immanuel Kant referred to when he indicated that ‘Thoughts without
contents are empty; intuitions without concepts are blind’ (Lloyd 2017: 1). In fact,
Lloyd (2017) paraphrases Kant’s dictum in the Chinese proverb, when he says that:
‘Neither of these qualities [i.e. concepts versus intuitions or precepts] is preferable
to the other. Without sensibility[,] objects would not be given to us, and without
understanding[,] they would not be thought by us’.
These quotes are particularly relevant when considering the interdependent relationship that underpins paradigms and theories, on the one hand, and practice, on the
other.
27
understanding of the economy, so that it matches their own ideas and policy priorities
(Carstensen and Matthijs 2018).
Although policy paradigms will not be covered in this book, the three examples
above show that, when it comes to paradigms and theories, the ideational elements
play an important role. My concern will be to investigate and report on the role of
research paradigms and social theories in defining eThekwini’s green and ecological
infrastructure policy landscape. To be sure, from the brief review above, we notice
that paradigms and theories are about a variety of ideational elements that influence
the policy process, and that the context in which they evolve is of central importance.
The chapter begins with a description of paradigms and theories and how
researchers use them to describe the world and to inform policy, be it at a local
or national level, or in world politics. In the second section, the importance of
paradigms and theories will be outlined. I will focus on the significance of these
cognitive processes in the discipline of International Relations (IR), since I am most
familiar with this discipline. This will be followed by a discussion on the importance
of causation and why we need to take it more seriously. With regard to the importance
of paradigms, theories and causality, I will discuss why researchers often negatively
perceive paradigms and theories, before ending with my conclusion.
2.2 Conceptual Building Blocks
As I have already mentioned, I will consider two conceptual building blocks from
which the rest of the investigation follow, namely, paradigms and theories. In short,
these intangible cognitive tools play an important role in causal chains in that concrete
activities within policy processes are often not causes in themselves, but they are the
consequence of paradigms and theories. To this end, according to Guba (2002), Ridley
(2003), Lhabitant (2004), Andreaotti (2006) and Komisarczuk and Welch (2006), a
Chinese proverb states that ‘Theory without practice is idle, practice without theory
is blind’ (Andreotti 2006). Gay (1979: 178) cites Zais’s (1976: 87) version of this
statement in the following way: ‘Theory without practice is idle speculation while
practice without theory constitutes little more than blind or random groping’. This is
possibly what Immanuel Kant referred to when he indicated that ‘Thoughts without
contents are empty; intuitions without concepts are blind’ (Lloyd 2017: 1). In fact,
Lloyd (2017) paraphrases Kant’s dictum in the Chinese proverb, when he says that:
‘Neither of these qualities [i.e. concepts versus intuitions or precepts] is preferable
to the other. Without sensibility[,] objects would not be given to us, and without
understanding[,] they would not be thought by us’.
These quotes are particularly relevant when considering the interdependent relationship that underpins paradigms and theories, on the one hand, and practice, on the
other.