Resumo

GONZALEZ, Fredy. What Is A Paradigm? Theoretical,Conceptual And Psycholinguistic Analysis Of The Term. Investigación y Postgrado [online]. 2005, vol.20, n.1, pp.13-54. ISSN 1316-0087.

This article attempts to clarify the multiple uses of the term Paradigm. The methodology applied is twofold: first, a historical recount of the term within the scientific discourse; second, a linguistic approach that examines its holistic, contextual and subliminal dimensions. Several bibliographical definitions of Paradigm are identified and compared in order to establish a chart noting similarities and differences in six categories: ontological, epistemological, sociological, axiological, teleological and methodological. The contribution of Thomas Kuhn is highlighted due to its importance during the period in which the word took root. The revised definitions are variations of the same theme; they follow a methodological line, except that of Moreno who proposes the notion of episteme as a more inclusive term than Kuhn's concept; and, that of Fritjol Capra who prefers the idea of social paradigm instead of Khun's scientific paradigm. The semantic clarification of Paradigm is a necessity given its recurrent misuse in academic circles. Especially in introductory courses like "Introduction to research methods" and "Educational research". Such analytical superficiality often results on repetitive adoptions of the term by the students without the appropriate awareness of its connotations, denotations, meanings and implicit conceptions.

Palavras-chave : paradigm; epistemology; ontology; sociology; episteme.