New Philosophy of Social Science: Problems of Indeterminacy

Bohman, Jim

ISBN 10: 0745606326 / ISBN 13: 9780745606323

Published by Polity Press, 1991

About this Item

Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. An apparently unread copy in perfect condition. Dust cover is intact with no nicks or tears. Spine has no signs of creasing. Pages are clean and not marred by notes or folds of any kind.

Seller Inventory # rev3667512970

Bibliographic Details

• Title: New Philosophy of Social Science: Problems of Indeterminacy
• Publisher: Polity Press
• Publication Date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0745606326
• ISBN 13: 9780745606323
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Like New
• Weight: 540 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Under the influence of post-empiricism, philosophy of science has in recent years begun to show a healthier respect for history and actual practice. In this accessible account, James Bohman shows how this model can be applied to the social sciences, opening the way for a new synthesis that finds rigor within the necessary indeterminacy of practice. James Bohman is Associate Professor of Philosophy at St. Louis University.

From the Back Cover

Recent philosophy of science has concentrated on the practices and histories of scientific disciplines rather than focusing on confirming the validity of scientific knowledge. New Philosophy of Social Science examines how such an approach might be applied to the social sciences. Its starting point is three recent social science research programmes: rational choice theory, ethnomethodology, and the theory of communicative action.

The book considers many basic problems of the social sciences including the nature of causality, rules, interpretation, and social criticism and provides extensive discussion of current debates. Each problem is solved by reconstructing successful explanations within the research programs, and each reconstruction is presented as a 'pattern' of explanation.