PRACTICE (THEORY and)
Charles François (2004). PRACTICE (THEORY and), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 2600.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2600 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
R.L. ACKOFF asks : “Can one practice without theory and theorize without practice?” and answers as follows:
- “Of course one can do both, but theory without practice (application) is form without content, and practice without theory is content without form. Practitioners should bring to their practice both a theory of practice and theories to be used in practice (contextual theories) A practitioner who has no theory of practice flounders when confronted with a new situation, at best muddles through. A practitioner who has no contextual theories is merely a change agent who can provide no assurance of inducing development” (1988, p 245).