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  • Chapter 3 - Theory

  • Alex Gillespie, London School of Economics and Political Science, Vlad Glăveanu, Dublin City University, Constance de Saint Laurent, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
  • Book:
    Pragmatism and Methodology
    Published online:
    04 January 2024
    Print publication:
    25 January 2024, pp 49-73
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  • Summary

    Theories have been viewed as mirrors of nature and fictions tainted by human subjectivity. This chapter contends that theories are tools that enable humans to act and coordinate. It argues that theories are like maps that can get us from A to B and like models that allow us to simulate interventions in the world. It illustrates how these different conceptions of theory have implications for research in the domain of creativity research. Overall, this chapter shows how a pragmatist approach to methodology sensitizes researchers to anomalies, and data can be used to drive theory toward increasingly useful forms.