Critical thinking stop point 20.4

Answer to: Are some ways of knowing are more important than others?

The authors suggest that some ways of knowing can be more important than others dependant on context.  It can also be seen that different ways of knowing are attributed different values according to culture. Carper offers 3 ways of knowing: empirical, ethical knowing, aesthetical knowing and personal knowing.  Empirical evidence/research/ways of knowing are highly valued within Western cultures, particularly the NHS.  In the NHS, randomised control trials are highly valued whereas personal ways of knowing such as intuition are not.  This thinking space it encouraging the reader to consider what their values are/what their priorities are. 

The authors suggest that when attempting to demonstrate compassionate care intuition may be extremely valuable but when deciding on a course of medication empirical evidence may be more valuable.  This text focuses on the art and science of nursing implicitly accepting all forms of knowledge can be valuable.