Methodology for the Human Sciences: Systems of InquiryMethodology 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. |
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Contents
The Original Debate | 15 |
Positivism | 16 |
The AntiPositivist Response | 20 |
The Recurring Debate | 51 |
Summary | 56 |
The Received View of Science | 59 |
The Vienna Circle | 60 |
Theoretical Networks | 71 |
Causal Explanations | 173 |
Acausal Explanations | 183 |
Linguistic Accounts | 192 |
Practical Reasoning | 195 |
ExistentialPhenomenological and Hermeneutic Systems | 201 |
The ExistentialPhenomenological System of Inquiry | 203 |
Hermeneutics Interpretation | 215 |
Interpretation and the Human Sciences | 237 |
The Human Sciences and the Deductive System of Inquiry | 87 |
Pragmatic Science | 93 |
Criticism of the Received View | 94 |
Sciences as Expressions of Various World Outlooks | 103 |
Historical Realism | 116 |
Systems and Structures | 135 |
Structuralism and Human Systems | 152 |
Systems Inquiry and Methodology | 166 |
Human Action | 169 |
The Nature of Human Action | 170 |
Human Science Research | 241 |
The Nature of Knowledge | 242 |
Use of Linguistic Data | 258 |
Concluding Remarks | 279 |
The Term Human Science | 283 |
Notes | 291 |
325 | |
343 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted activity analysis answer appear approach argument attempt basic behavior believed called causal cause chapter characteristics claims completely concept concerned consciousness context deductive described determined developed Dilthey direct elements empirical example exist experience explanation expressions facts function give given held hermeneutic historical holds human action human realm human science ideas individual inductive inquiry instance interpretation kind knowledge language laws limited linguistic logic meaning mental method methodology move nature notion objects observation organizing particular patterns person phenomena Philosophy physical position positivists possible practical present Press probability problem produce proposed psychology question rational reality reason refer relationship requires rules scientific sense social statements structures theory things thought true truth understanding University valid various whole York