ABSTRACT
How do we know what we know? This chapter looks at the many paths that may be taken in order to understand human existence in general and aging in particular. The author marshals lessons from the humanities, the sciences and the arts into an integrated whole that deepens and enriches our understanding of meaning-making in the post-midlife years. Qualitative research, quantitative research, big data, depth psychology and poetry can complement each other and strengthen our understanding of the aging process. While society often compartmentalizes and splits these different forms of knowing, this chapter demonstrates how the knowledge gathered from all these different sources can serve to create a richer, more comprehensive, and further nuanced understanding of the later adult years.
