Discourse Synthesis ― Studies in Historical and Contemporary Social Epistemology

As this edited collection makes clear, inquiry is a social system and knowledge is socially constructed. To understand the nature of inquiry in a particular discourse community, one must look at its social dimensions, that is, the qualities of personal craftmanship and community affiliation inherent in the work of the writers. And, of course, each discourse community maintains its own standards and norms, determines what subject matter is appropriate for investigation and explanation, how that subject matter is examined, what constitutes evidence, and, in discourse, what claims are to be regarded as valid. McInnis and his contributors explore how a consensus was arrived at in various Western disciplines and how that consensus has stood up to challenges through time.

RAYMOND G. McINNIS has appointments in the Library, History Department, and American Cultural Studies program at Western Washington University. He has published several books and articles dedicated to seeking ways to integrate classroom instruction and library research. He has served as a general editor for Greenwood Press in developing a ten-volume set of concept dictionaries in the humanities and social sciences.