Philosophy of Social Science: The Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought

by Ted Benton, Ian Craib

This is the first book in the new series, is a comprehensive introduction to philosophical problems in the social sciences, encompassing traditional and contemporary perspectives. It is readily accessible, with a firm emphasis on communicating difficult philosophical ideas clearly and effectively to those from outside this discipline. Ted Benton and Ian Craib move systematically through major topic areas, from positivism to post-structuralism, using a wide variety of examples and cases to illustrate key themes.

Genres: Sociology, Philosophy, Academic, Social Science

203 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

Reviews

[M L Delshad · Rating 4 out of 5]

از بهترین کتابهای فلسفه علوم اجتماعی
چه از لحاظ جامعیت و چه از لحاظ عمق بررسیها و نگاه انتقادی. به خصوص فصل رئالیسم انتقادی

[Alexander Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although certain sections of this book seem to tie together ideas of philosophy in the sciences and the following social science applications of that philosophy particularly well, there are times it fails completely to explain entire sections of philosophical investigation.

On the influences of Marx, the book often fails to justify exactly how Marx applies, and is particularly sparse in clarifying the feminist positions of epistemology. If anything, it has made me more confused on these topics than when I started on these points rather than more directed in where I can gain understanding. Perhaps this book should have been two: Philosophy and History of Empiricism of Social Science and Philosophy and History of Rationalism and Realism of Social Science.

[Z Nayebi · Rating 3 out of 5]

برای آشنایی اجمالی با مباحث فلسفه علوم اجتماعی خوب است. البته ترجمه اش به نظرم خیلی خوب نیست.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This very small very dense series of essays authored by Benton and Craib surprised again and again, perhaps because of my profound ignorance of both philosophy and social science. The book turns out to be a good way to review the 20th century development of both fields. I especially like Craib's quik&dirty tour from Weber to post-modernism.

[ehk2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good introduction to the fields of sociology of knowledge, philosophy of science and social theory in general.