Philosophy of Social Science

Philosophy of Social Science provides a tightly argued yet accessible introduction to the philosophical foundations of the human sciences, including economics, anthropology, sociology, political science, psychology, history, and the disciplines emerging at the intersections of these subjects with biology.

Preface 1. What Is the Philosophy of Social Science? 2. The Methodological Divide: Naturalism Versus Interpretation 3. The Explanation of Human Action 4. Actions, Intentionality and the Mind/Body Problem 5. Behaviorism in the Behavioral Sciences 6. Problems of Rational Choice Theory 7. Social Psychology and the Construction of Society 8. Continental Philosophy of Social Science 9. Holism and Antireductionism in Sociology and Psychology 10. Functionalism as a Research Program 11. Sociobiology or the Standard Social Science Model? 12. Theories of Cultural Evolution 13. Research Ethics in Social Inquiry 14. Facts and Values in the Human Sciences 15. Social Science and the Enduring Questions of Philosophy Bibliography Index