The role of subjectivity: Response to Noriyuki Inoue

Abstract

This paper offers a response to Dr Noriyuki Inoue’s article published in this issue of the International Journal for Transformative research, entitled The role of subjectivity in teacher expertise development: Mindfully embracing the “black sheep” of educational research. Inoue freely uses the terms ‘subjectivity’ and ‘objectivity’; but referring to findings from quantum physics and consciousness studies, both of which challenge the view that it is possible to observe a world that exists independently of the observer, I ask whether the Japanese concepts of jikkan and ba actually also suggest that it is not possible to separate and define subjective and objective dimensions of reality.

Keywords

• consciousness
• subjectivity
• objectivity
• jikkan
• ba