Philosophy of Social Sciences introduces key ideas and concepts while raising questions and opening debates. This book remains essential reading for all students of social theory and social science research.
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Academic |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781350329089 |
| Year | 2023 |
| Pages | 314 |
| Format |
Philosophers and social scientists have long shared a common curiosity: understanding who we are and how the world we live in really works. But how do philosophy and the social sciences actually come together, and why does that connection matter? This fully revised third edition of a widely respected book explores these questions in a clear, accessible, and engaging way.
Updated with a new introduction and reflective commentaries, the book revisits its original chapters in light of recent debates and developments in the field. It also features two brand-new chapters on critical social science and on one of the most pressing challenges facing social scientists today: making sense of the complex relationship between human societies and the natural world, particularly in the context of biodiversity loss and climate change.
Philosophy of Social Sciences offers a clear and accessible introduction to the foundations of social science, with no prior background required. It tackles key questions about what social science is, how it works, and how it relates to the natural sciences, helping readers make sense of the field from the ground up.
Bringing together both classic and contemporary perspectives, the book guides readers through a wide range of approaches—from empiricism and positivism to rationalism and post-structuralism—while encouraging critical thinking and debate throughout. Written in a lively, student-friendly style, it introduces core ideas and concepts without oversimplifying them.
A cornerstone of the Traditions in Social Theory series, this book continues to be essential reading for students of social theory and social science research.
Philosophy and the Social Sciences
Philosophy and the social sciences are usually seen as separate subjects, so why should students of the social sciences be interested in philosophy? We hope that this question will answer itself by the end of this book, but we can begin to address it right away.
When modern science was emerging in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it was difficult to determine where the boundary between philosophy and science should be drawn. It was only later that a clearer separation between the two became conventional. As this separation took place, two basic models of their relationship emerged.
According to the first model, philosophy could arrive at certain knowledge through rational argument. The most fundamental truths about ourselves and about the nature of the world, as well as the rules for acquiring such knowledge, could be established by philosophers. In this way, philosophy provided the foundations for research in particular scientific disciplines. This view is sometimes called the masterbuilder or master-scientist conception of philosophy, and it is closely associated with metaphysics.
In metaphysics, philosophers attempt to give an account of the universe, the world, and everything in it. Today, however, philosophers tend to be more modest in their ambitions.
The alternative model of the relationship between philosophy and the sciences is often referred to as the underlabourer view. According to this perspective, armchair speculation about the nature of the world cannot provide certain or reliable knowledge. Instead, knowledge can only come from practical experience, observation, and systematic experimentation.
From this standpoint, the special sciences do not need philosophers to provide foundations or to dictate how they should think. Rather, philosophy should assist and support scientists as they carry out the work of discovering how nature operates. But what kind of help can philosophy offer?
One influential answer is that common-sense thinking often contains prejudices, superstitions, and unquestioned assumptions that hinder scientific progress. Philosophy can help by identifying and criticizing these obstacles, thereby clearing the way for science to advance. This role is sometimes compared to clearing dead leaves from a railway track so that the trains can run freely.
| Title | Philosophy of Social Sciences |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | The Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought |
| Autor | Ted Benton & Ian Craib |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Year | 2023 |
| Pages | 314 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| ISBN | 9781350329089 |
| Format | |
| Filesize | 4.6 MB |
| URL | Ted Benton & Ian Craib Philosophy of Social Sciences PDF |
