Exploring Diversity in a Field: An Application of Dooyeweerd’s Philosophy

Abstract

Complexity of a field of study is reflected in the diversity of fragmented discourses within it. How do we understand this diversity and the coherence of the field? This paper explores how Herman Dooyeweerd’s ideas can help us understand the nature of this complexity in the field of information systems use. Dooyeweerd’s suite of aspects is employed practically to separate out discourses by undertaking analysis of excerpts from key papers that define each discourse and indicate what motivated its coming into being. This demonstrates the utility of Dooyeweerd’s ideas in contributing to mainstream thought, and the approach used here might be extended to any field of study.