Abstract
Psychologists have avidly pursued a natural scientific model of research in which we have sought to investigate timeless and universal phenomena to discover the underlying laws that govern the operations of psychological phenomena. Psychologists have traditionally seen this pursuit of knowledge as a disinterested truth seeking that is disengaged from personal and political biases and values, and independent of the scientist's character. Given the success and prestige of the natural sciences, it is no wonder that psychologists have attempted to emulate them. The epistemic goals and methods of a natural scientific approach have been under attack from many quarters, which the author touched on in chapter 1. In this chapter the author continues to examine the appropriateness of a natural scientific model by contrasting it with a phronetic approach to inquiry, which highlights researchers' judgment and the goods that they seek. Moreover, it is argued that the investigator's character, particularly the capacity for practical wisdom, plays a crucial role in the conduct of science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)