One of the highlights of 2009 was reuniting with grade school/ high school batchmates Nerisa and Carla.

I had a great year with these boys.

Interpretivism tells us that social reality is an outcome of interpretations. Because of the variability of human, it asserts that understanding society should be non-scientific, meaning not dependent on qualitative methods or on quantitative ones because of the “inherent indeterminateness in the lifeworld.”

Interpretivism proposes that the mode of knowing the social world is to understand it through interpretations.

I concur with Williams that although interpretation is an important tool in social sciences, it should not be the only one since interpretation itself possesses several weaknesses enumerated in the text.

I reflected on the trouble with interpretivism presented by Williams and certain questions were raised in my mind as I did so.

Plausibility
In the case of the historian, how does he separate account from fiction to show plausibility? What will separate an account from fiction if it is purely hinged on interpretative analysis of reports? The trouble then is everything will be believable or discountable, if there is no definite way or a scientific way to test the plausibility of stories. In history, interpretation alone will not lead us to the truth. Conversely, without interpretation, we cannot come to hypothetical conclusions of how past events shape the present.

Method
That there be an organized method in understanding human behavior in the past would be ideal. But that brings us to the perennial contention between science and social science that because of the changeability of human in different contexts, how can a method be fixed and explicit for all? And even if there were different methods, would one of these methods, if used, say, on a certain community of people, be appropriate for all of the people in that community given man’s individuality? How can behavior of people in the past be accurately presented by interpretation? And yet, what measuring stick can we use to test the accuracy of interpretation?

The trouble with variability is connected to method since it raises the question of what one method can interpret or scientifically measure people who are innately, sociologically and physiologically diverse when studying how they behaved. Personally, the main reason I see for making it difficult to come up with generalizations in social science is because of man’s variability. How can we model a fixed pattern for something so inconsistent as human.

Conclusion
After reading this, I am coming to terms with the belief that generalizations in social sciences may not be very probable and more importantly, not necessary. Science is about problem-solving (Williams) and in the same way, investigations in the social world “have yielded at least some empirical success in contributing to knowledge that can resolve social ills” (Williams). I say it is not necessary because if we cannot find a general or universal solution for a certain social problem, to find one that fits a certain context even if only in that context is better than none. Interpretivism is essential because we understand humans because we ourselves are humans. Therefore our interpretation is valuable because it aids us in responding to daily events in life.

On the other hand, interpretation alone will not do because this renders much of data gathered as believable or discountable, not capable of being filtered; thus, it gives accounts little difference from thick description. The structure of science is necessary to establish for social science a sense of accuracy, truth and infallibility. So I would say that, social sciences need the rigidity of science and the flexibility of interpretation.

This is a photo of me from XS Website I got an e-mail from Ms. Fides today informing me that I have a picture there, along with other participants of the workshop on document preservation that we attended more than a week ago. Buti na lang pala I put on make-up beforehand.

"This Is It" with Reevee.

One activity in the name of science that I see counterproductive in Philippines is the building of dams that are controlled by international companies

To guarantee that citizens are getting water that is clean, safe and thus useful, construction of infrastructures that help control water such as dams, irrigation systems and the like is essential. That is basically the science behind it. But the results are proving contradictory to its claimed purpose. Such is the case in Dagohoy, Bohol.

People are complaining about how water has become scarce since the building of a dam in their area. Ironically, locals are being asked to pay water bills that are high, bills that their principal livelihood of agriculture cannot sustain. As a result, residents are groaning under the debt they have accumulated from failure to pay.

With the building of privately owned dams, they are charging the habitants of the area use of water that used to be free for disposal. A resident, in an interview on a documentary on this critical issue, told of how he decided to block the canal from flowing in his area so that they would not be charged fees for using water from the canal. Locals are baffled at companies’ claim that they own the water in the area. Water is nature’s and is for the people, they argue. How then can anyone claim it as theirs and charge others for its utilization?

Thus, one cannot help but think that the principal consideration has veered from how to meet the needs of the people to how to make profit off the people. Water, sadly, has become a commodity.

I can say that in this particular case, science may possibly have been used for financial gain, at the cost of the marginalized.

Dear Elizabeth,

Well, pa’no ba ‘yan? J Tomorrow’s your big day. Can you believe that it’s finally going to happen? Siguro ako lang yung hindi makapaniwala because it’s been so long since we last saw each other. I think the last time na nagkita tayo was 6 years ago, a few months after our graduation when we met up to sana apply for a job pero din a din tinuloy. J

Natatawa lang ako kasi although di tayo nagkita ng matagal medyo pareho din yung mga pinagdaaanan natin. Matagal din ako bago nakahanap ng good job. Ikaw two years ago and ako naman just a year ago. Hindi pala ganon kadali ang buhay after graduating ‘no?

I’m just so thankful na through all the different experiences we had in college, I had you to share a lot of things in common with. We went through so many phases like the material phase when we thought that it was the superficial things that mattered. But God was so good to open our eyes and keep us grounded to the real things that have value, which is friendship and family. Tama ka sa lahat na pareho talaga tayong conservative. Mas may lakas ka lang ng loob na magshow ng skin pero basically we are the same! J

Sorry kung magiging ma-drama na ako ha? Pero totoo naman na sa mga pinagdaanan nating magkakaibigan, never kong naramdaman sa you to wish me ill will. You know that I experienced that from Shineth and I felt so betrayed by her. I trusted her with so many things and I tried to justify her actions for a long time pero lumalabas talaga na insecure siya and was not really, truly a friend to me. That was one thing I always appreciated about you – na kahit mataba man or payat ako never mo kong kinriticize for my physical appearance! When I was thin, you rejoiced with me and even praised me in front of other people. When I gained weight naman, wala rin akong matandaan at all na sinabi ka about it! It was not an issue with us because we weren’t friends because of our physical appearance but because we were really truly friends.

Thank you sa lahat kasi naramdaman ko talaga sa yo ang tunay na friendship. And I know na kahit di tayo nagkita for a very long time, sobrang hindi nagbago ang mga bagay and that’s just the way I want it to be.

Marami rin akong regrets sa college life natin. Pero if I were to look back on what I am thankful for in college, it is finding and having you as a friend. I never felt any competition with you and Me-ann as I did with Shineth. And this is not to keep putting Shineth in a bad light – but I really truly felt that with the three of us, it was just friendship and not competition or insecurity. I know that this is a blessing from God – yung makahanap ng tunay na kaibigan.

Sa pagpasok mo into a new phase in your life which is marriage, I am going to keep praying for you. Ikaw ang first friend ko na talagang ikakasal formally ng matino at walang sabit so excited din ako to watch a friend enter into wedded bliss. So kapag it’s my turn, I’m going to get lots of good advice and tips from you.

Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos na nakatagpo ka ng mapapangasawang tulad ni Eric na responsible, tapat ang pagmamahal sa yo at talagang hands-on at matulungin sa detalye ng inyong kasal. It only shows na talagang excited siya at gusto niyang makasama ka talaga.

Natutunan ko sa example mo  na totoo ngang sinusuklian ni God if we wait for His best. If we wait for His perfect timing, matatagpuan pala natin talaga ang tunay na taong para sa atin. So all the more I will wait for the one that He has set aside for me. Alam mo naman yung first heartbreak ko, which is very recent lang. I’m glad that I was able to share it with you, and at a time pa when you are about to get married to all the more encourage me to believe that somewhere out there, God is preparing the man that He wants me to end up with, someone who will value me talaga as Eric values you.

Hindi ko masyadong nakilala si Eric. I saw him once pa lang pero sa mga narinig ko sa yo, tiwala ako na you are in good hands! Basta ang maipapayo ko lang, put Christ in the center of your marriage and aalagaan niya ang inyong pagsasama. Parati kayong magdasal together and for each other and I am confident na even when trials come, malalampasan niyo lahat yun and come out with a stronger relationship more than ever.

I cannot give you much, pero what I can promise is to pray for you and your marriage always. Alam mo naman Elizabeth, wala akong masyadong talent. Pero ang masaya kong ginagawa ay ang praying for friends and family. J

Tsaka I want to say sorry for not being able to help you out with your wedding. That’s what a bridesmaid should do pero I know medyo nagkulang ako in that area. Hayaan mo, babawi ako sa yo. Thank you for making me your bridesmaid. Sobrang nakaka-touch and I really appreciate the thought, even if I wasn’t of much use to you during your time of preparing.

This letter is so long already and anong oras na. Baka iniintay mo na ko sa hotel. I just took some time off to write it bago ko magpunta diyan sa Aberdeen. Again, thank you for everything. And I know we’ll have more years to spend together. Sana din mas maging madalas ang pagkikita natin. But even more, I hope na mas may communication tayo kahit di tayo laging mag-meet up. J I love you sooo much and I am so happy for the life that you have now and the new life that you are entering.

May you prosper and be very blessed as you and Eric go through life together with Christ!

I love you, Elizabeth!

Your forever friend,

Mia Capitulo