The predominant philosophy underlying most environmental modelling is a form of pragmatic realism. The limitations of this approach in practical applications are discussed, in particular, in relation to questions of scale, nonlinearity, and uniqueness of place. A new approach arising out of the concept of equifinality of models (structures and parameter sets) in application is outlined in the f...

realism is one of the main concepts of the philosophy that has several meanings and there is no standard application for it in the philosophical texts. issues and problems concerning this concept are numerous and belong to the several contexts such as ontology, semantics, epistemology, logic, methodology, and ethics. therefore, in the definition of this concept you can find several criterions a...

First, a survey of the history philosophy is undertaken to show how different thinkers have recognised agency image. By picking up threads offered by ancient concept active images, late medieval multiperspectivity in relation founding theory modern state, elements image activity found from Leibniz Vico, Hegel Peirce, and, finally, various returns these traditions that took place 20th century, a...

The paper begins by pointing out the diversity of philosophical positions within information systems, and the range of reactions to this diversity. It then discusses problems within the underlying philosophies of science, particularly positivism and interpretivism. With this as a background, the paper proposes critical realism as an underpinning philosophy that has the potential to overcome bot...

This conceptual paper reviews the core assumptions of critical realism as a variant of realist philosophy of science as well as its implications for management studies. In addition, the paper reviews previous IMP research on both personal contacts and firm internationalisation. Based on such a review of literature, firm internationalisation and related managerial contacts are conceptualised as ...

According to causal realism, causation is a fundamental feature of the world, consisting in the fact that the properties that there are in the world, including notably the fundamental physical ones, are dispositions or powers to produce certain effects. The paper presents arguments for this view from the metaphysics of properties and the philosophy of physics, pointing out how this view leads t...