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Varieties of Social Explanation - An Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Science
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Amazon.com's Price: $43.00 Prices subject to change.
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 300.1
EAN: 9780813305660
ISBN: 0813305667
Label: Westview Press
Manufacturer: Westview Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 272
Publication Date: December 18, 1990
Publisher: Westview Press
Sales Rank: 450793
Studio: Westview Press
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
Professor Little presents an introduction to the philosophy of social science with an emphasis on the central forms of explanation in social science: rational-intentional, causal, functional, structural, materialist, statistical and interpretive. The book is very strong on recent developments, particularly in its treatment of rational choice theory, microfoundations for social explanation, the idea of supervenience, functionalism, and current discussions of relativism.Of special interest is Professor Little’s insight that, like the philosophy of natural science, the philosophy of social science can profit from examining actual scientific examples. Throughout the book, philosophical theory is integrated with recent empirical work on both agrarian and industrial society drawn from political science, sociology, geography, anthropology, and economics.Clearly written and well structured, this text provides the logical and conceptual tools necessary for dealing with the debates at the cutting edge of contemporary philosophy of social science. It will prove indispensible for philosophers, social scientists and their students.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
This book is one of the best discussions of the philosophy of social science that I've ever read. Little is an excellent writer. As a teacher of statistics and research methodology classes at the college level I have long lamented the fact that most statistics and methodology texts entirely leave out any substantive discussion of the inference of causation. This is a shame, given how much fallacious research is floating around in the media and the social sciences in which causal statements are ... Read More
Rating: -
The great advantage of Varieties over many other introductions to the philosophy of the social sciences is that it is organized like a traditional textbook. It is not written for speed reading, but it assumes no prior technical knowledge on the part of the reader. New concepts are properly introduced as needed. Lecturers will be pleased to borrow from its many detailed examples of the various forms of social scientific explanation. Fashion-conscious readers should beware; Little is concerned with ... Read More
Rating:  -
This is good introduction to the scientific nature of social sciences. It is not light reading and may require some time to study and understand the examples, but it gives a good foundation to understanding the logical basis for the "soft sciences". This book is full of examples for understanding the thought process necessary for thorough comprehension of social sciences. I would recommend this book to anyone intrested in better understanding the logical foundation of any type of social ... Read More
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