Collaboration brings gains in an understanding of different perspectives and contexts. Application of theory to practice is best done alone because it requires a thorough understanding of one's field to see the possibilities for application. Collaboration requires that each collaborator become expert in the shared field. On p. 128 Mahoney speaks of personal reality and objective reality. Personal reality is reality as the person experiences reality, based on that person's epistemology, or ways of knowing.
Reality is reality.
It's out there somewhere. Reality is the same for Western white males, for non-Western males, for females. Only our perceptions of it are different. All of the above.