Apr
1
“I prefer examples to theories, case studies to experiments. Given a choice between a rich, particular example and an elegant, general theory, I will take the example every time. I prefer the concreteness, depth and the specificity of examples – especially the ways in which they are entwined with their time, place and history. I am not suggesting that examples are some sort of pure, unmediated form of experience – to be powerful, an example needs to be unpacked. A skillful analyst can lift the example up, drawing out its ties to its contexts, revealing the processes that have shaped it, and thus connecting it to larger issues in a way that is broadly meaningful.”
Knowing the Particulars, by Thomas Erickson
