Methodology for the Human Sciences: Systems of Inquiry

by Donald E. Polkinghorne

Methodology for the Human Sciences addresses the growing need for a comprehensive textbook that surveys the emerging body of literature on human science research and clearly describes procedures and methods for carrying out new research strategies. It provides an overview of developing methods, describes their commonalities and variations, and contains practical information on how to implement strategies in the field. In it, Donald Polkinghorne calls for a renewal of debate over which methods are appropriate for the study of human beings, proposing that the results of the extensive changes in the philosophy of science since 1960 call for a reexamination of the original issues of this debate.

The book traces the history of the deliberations from Mill and Dilthey to Hempel and logical positivism, examines recently developed systems of inquiry and their importance for the human sciences, and relates these systems to the practical problems of doing research on topics related to human experience. It discusses historical realism, systems and structures, phenomenology and hermeneutics, action theory, and the implications recent systems have for a revised human science methodology.

Genres: Psychology

364 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1983

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

God, I have never been so happy to finish and put a book away…..

[Rodger Broome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polkinghorne provides and incredibly great sketch of the historical and epistemological issues of studying human experience and action. He addresses Cartesian dualism (substance-dualism) and how its dominance in Western Academia since Descartes provides presuppositions that largely go unchallenged by mainstream social and behavioral sciences. It's language is accessible and not burdensome for the non-philosopher.

Whether or not one decides ultimately to be a materialist or leave open the hard-problems of human consciousness, this book is a great foundation for arriving at one's own conclusions. With the dominance of materialism in neuropsychology, this book will provide another perspective and history that most in the mainstream of psychology and mental health services are not often exposed.

Every senior undergraduate psychology major or graduate student should read this book. If psychology is dependent upon scientific methodology for its veracity, then the scholar-practitioner is remiss by not entertaining what scientific methodology means for the human sciences.