PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Catalog description

This course introduces students to central philosophical issues that are raised by and within the practice of social science. Some key questions are: In which respects is social science similar to natural science and in which respects is it dissimilar? Does social science aim at forming generalizable explanations, or does it seek to provide humanistic understanding? Can social science be conducted in a purely objective, disinterested way, or does the practice of social science always rely on at least implicit value assumptions? Must responsible researchers interrogate their research for such assumptions, and, if so, what does it take for research to "pass?"