All posts tagged: positivist

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1. Is there more than one reality? Are Freddie and Elvis really dead?
2. Can you consider yourself a positivist, a constructivist or a pragmatist in a time of deepfake?
3. Can you identify deepfakes?
4. Are we in fear of losing our creativity, innovation and individuality to the technology.

Academic Develop (N-TUTORR Project) and Lecturer in Computing at the Atlantic Technological University.

You can connect with Noreen on LinkedIn or send her an email

By Noreen Henry

When I read the Congregation 2023 theme of “Reality”, this is what started to play in my head:
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen (Lyrics) 🎵 – YouTube

In the world of research, we have ontology which examines “what is reality?” At a basic level there are ontologies:

1. There is one single reality or truth.
2. There are multiple realities.
3. Reality is constantly negotiated, debated, or interpreted.

While Epistemology examines the question “How can I know reality”. It relates to how we understand knowledge, how we understand our own thinking process, and how we think other know. At a basic level we can consider three epistemologies:

1.  Belief that knowledge can be measured using reliable designs and tools.
2. Belief that knowledge can be measured to discover the underlying meaning.
3. Knowledge should be examined using the best tools available to solve the problem.

Combining your own position on ontology and epistemology together you will get a holistic view of how you understand knowledge. This is your research paradigm. In Social Science there are three research paradigms:

• Positivism
• Constructivism
• Pragmatism

Looking internally, you may identify with one of the three paradigms but in the current world of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, deepfake, alternative facts etc., can we clearly identify?

Gamage, et al. (2022) define deepfake as “synthetic media generated using sophisticated algorithms which reflect things that did not happen for real but computer-generated for manipulation purposes. … created in the form of image, audio and video by leveraging AI are far more realistic to identify if its being synthetically created by replacing someone else’s voice or video.” A high-profile example goes back to 2017 when two advertising artists used images and voice of Mark Zukerburg and a well know news channel imagery to present a recording of Zukerburg hyping about having data from billions of users. (Somers, 2020)

Somers (2020) recommends three areas to pay attention to in recognising deepfake as face, audio, and lighting. But with advances in the technology this is no longer as beneficial.

To test your ability to detect deep fake try out:
DeepFakes, Can You Spot Them? (mit.edu)

If you scored as poorly as I did go back again and ask yourself, are you still a positivist, a constructivist or a pragmatist?

If you scored as poorly as I did go back again and ask yourself, are you still a positivist, a constructivist or a pragmatist?

So, who does thrive in the deepfake world? According to Wel (2023) in Psychology Today is it the those calling the “liar’s dividend” that is those that claim that anything and everything is fake even when there is data to show that it is true or does exists or did happen. Putting doubt of misinformation is enough to discredit a source.

To combat this Wel (2023) recommend investment in detection tools and education on identification of AI by individuals. We see similar recommendation in education today in relation to AI and particularly generative AI in education but no solutions!

Bibliography
Gamage, D., Ghasiya, P. & Sasahara, K., 2022. Deepfakes and Society: What Lies Ahead?, Tokyo: s.n.
Queen, 1975. Bohemian Rhapsody. London: Queen & Roy Thomas Baker.
Somers, M., 2020. Deepfakes, Explained. [Online]
Available at: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/deepfakes-explained
[Accessed 20 11 2023].
Wel, . M., 2023. Who Thrives in a World of Deepfakes and Misinformation? The “liar’s dividend” benefits people who cast doubt on objective evidence.. [Online]
Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/urban-survival/202310/who-thrives-in-a-world-of-deepfakes-and-misinformation
[Accessed 20 11 20023].