Methodological Issues in Social Science
Research for Bioresource Conservation
and Livelihood Development Under
Global Climate Change
B.K. Narayana Swamy and Y. Nagaraju
Abstract Think of the time when the first Homo sapien was born. What did we
know about the world or the universe or the galaxy at that time? Not even what a
three or four years old child of today knows. Probably, this world was restricted to
basic needs and surroundings. During those days, managing bioresources conservation and livelihood development was very easy. Slowly but steadily, we started to
know the difference between doubt and belief. To satisfy our doubts, therefore, it is
necessary that a method should be found to manage bioresources conservation and
livelihood development by which our beliefs may be determined by nothing human,
but by some external permanency by something upon which our thinking has no
effect. Science is the systematic observation of natural events and conditions in
order to discover facts about them and to formulate laws and principles based on
these facts, theories to make unequivocal predictions that can be tested by anybody.
The results can be reproduced by others; the systematic observation of natural
events and conditions in order to discover facts about them and to formulate laws
and principles based on these facts therefore, managing bioresource conservation
and livelihood development unlike other three methods of knowing, the knowledge
generated through method of social science is amenable to testing. The sociological
scientific approach has been developed with a set of assumptions that cannot be
proved. This will also help in understanding the superiority of scientific method
over other methods to manage bioresources conservation and livelihood development. The nature is orderly and regular. The state of knowledge is a relative term to
manage bioresources conservation and livelihood development what we know
today may be disproved tomorrow. The man/woman has been restless, inquiring,
and soul searching because he/she knows the power of knowledge. The process of
research to manage bioresource conservation and livelihood development starts
B.K. Narayana Swamy (&)
Department of Agricultural Extension, Sociology, Psychology and Distance Education
Unit Policy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
e-mail: narayanaswamy.konappa@gmail.com
Y. Nagaraju
Department of Economics, Center for Study of Social Exclusive and Inclusive Policy,
Bharathidasan University, Khajmali Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
S. Nautiyal et al. (eds.), Climate Change Challenge (3C)
and Social-Economic-Ecological Interface-Building, Environmental Science,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-31014-5_5
65
Research for Bioresource Conservation
and Livelihood Development Under
Global Climate Change
B.K. Narayana Swamy and Y. Nagaraju
Abstract Think of the time when the first Homo sapien was born. What did we
know about the world or the universe or the galaxy at that time? Not even what a
three or four years old child of today knows. Probably, this world was restricted to
basic needs and surroundings. During those days, managing bioresources conservation and livelihood development was very easy. Slowly but steadily, we started to
know the difference between doubt and belief. To satisfy our doubts, therefore, it is
necessary that a method should be found to manage bioresources conservation and
livelihood development by which our beliefs may be determined by nothing human,
but by some external permanency by something upon which our thinking has no
effect. Science is the systematic observation of natural events and conditions in
order to discover facts about them and to formulate laws and principles based on
these facts, theories to make unequivocal predictions that can be tested by anybody.
The results can be reproduced by others; the systematic observation of natural
events and conditions in order to discover facts about them and to formulate laws
and principles based on these facts therefore, managing bioresource conservation
and livelihood development unlike other three methods of knowing, the knowledge
generated through method of social science is amenable to testing. The sociological
scientific approach has been developed with a set of assumptions that cannot be
proved. This will also help in understanding the superiority of scientific method
over other methods to manage bioresources conservation and livelihood development. The nature is orderly and regular. The state of knowledge is a relative term to
manage bioresources conservation and livelihood development what we know
today may be disproved tomorrow. The man/woman has been restless, inquiring,
and soul searching because he/she knows the power of knowledge. The process of
research to manage bioresource conservation and livelihood development starts
B.K. Narayana Swamy (&)
Department of Agricultural Extension, Sociology, Psychology and Distance Education
Unit Policy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
e-mail: narayanaswamy.konappa@gmail.com
Y. Nagaraju
Department of Economics, Center for Study of Social Exclusive and Inclusive Policy,
Bharathidasan University, Khajmali Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
S. Nautiyal et al. (eds.), Climate Change Challenge (3C)
and Social-Economic-Ecological Interface-Building, Environmental Science,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-31014-5_5
65