From the Physical to the Social Sciences: Introduction to a Study of Economic and Ethical Theory (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Jacques Rueff

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265589924 ISBN 13: 9780265589922

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Unlock how social sciences mirror the precision of physics, using laws derived from observed facts.

This book argues that economic and ethical theories are built from clear premises and tested against empirical patterns, just like the physical sciences. It shows how history, statistics, and prices help reveal universal regularities in human behavior.

The author outlines a systematic way to construct theories: start with axioms, define terms precisely, and deduce conclusions that events in the real world can verify. It treats social sciences as rational, evidence-based enterprises capable of steady progress when kept in touch with reality.

Readers will explore how ethical and economic ideas become useful tools by connecting abstract propositions to observable phenomena, and how theories evolve when initial assumptions shift with life’s changing conditions.

• How theories are built from initial axioms and then tested against empirical laws.
• Why social science can be as rigorous as physics when it stays grounded in data.
• How definitions and premises shape the conclusions we draw about society and economy.
• When and why theories remain provisional, adapting to new observations.

Ideal for readers seeking a clear, methodical view of how the social sciences strive for truth through evidence and deduction.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0265589924
• ISBN 13: 9780265589922
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 193