FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)1 Friedel Weinert: Philosophy of the Social Sciences Year II: Semester II SS-2000M Three Models in the Social Sciences Lecture IV

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)2 Central Questions –What is the subject matter of the social sciences? Answer: Society Can society be understood by the methods of the natural sciences (Freud, Durkheim)? –Or does the subject matter society require an approach specific to it? Three models: –naturalistic view  explanation societal ‘facts’ are subject to societal ‘laws’ –interpretative view  understanding (Verstehen) social action must be understood by reference to human agency –critical view  explanatory understanding and criticism conservative and critical functions of the social sciences Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)3 Social Sciences 3 Models àSome preliminaries à associated with these models are standard issues àscientism-humanism issue àcause-reason distinction àcausation in social sciences àindividualism-holism issue/relativism àfact-value question àlaws and models in the social sciences àMeaning of Understanding à understanding of natural à versus à understanding of social processes

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)4  Natural Sciences Explanation  Entailment or Causal Patterns Understanding  Interpretation of mathematical formalism  assignment of physical models to mathematically described natural processes.  billiard ball model of gases  models of light as particles or waves  Copernican models of planetary motions  assignment of causal mechanisms to phenomena  why planets move in orbits (Hooke, Newton)  why radioactive decay (Rutherford)  why patients suffer from neuroses? (Freud) Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)5  Social Sciences Explanation (?)  Empirical Model Understanding  Hermeneutic Model, Weber’s Model  social action  social rules (norms, values, conventions)  individual action  intentions (reasons, motives)  regularities are not sufficient  relate regularities to human agency Social Sciences 3 Models Strong version Weak version Social regularities only exist local levels in particular societies; must be understood in terms of local meaning (Winch) Tool: symbolic meanings Regularities to be related to human agency they are subject to social science explanations they are cross-cultural, cross-national structural features (ex.:globalisation) Essential tools:evolutionary approaches, hypothetical models, adequate causation

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)6 The Three Models The Empirical Model Durkheim’s Rules  Consider social phenomena as things, external objects  Social science research must be objectvie  Social scientist describes general, rather than individual social phenomena (social structures, legal and religious forms) Decisive feature  : Unity of method ònatural and social sciences employ hypothetico-deductive method (DN/IS model) òExplanation = Explanandum & Explanans & Entailment Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)7 Scheme of DN/IS Model Social Sciences 3 Models Explanans  Antecedent Conditions: C 1 …C 2 …C n  General Laws: L 1, L 2 ….L n Explanandum E Description of Empirical Phenomena to be Explained, Predicted

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)8 wSome limitations : wthe weakness of ‘laws’ and regularities in social science wat best statements of statistical tendencies, regularities allowing exceptions (trends, cycles versus laws) wtrends can be reversed, modified wtrends are inductively generalised patterns of behaviour wexplanatory role of human agency wset of initial conditions not closed wdifficulty to distinguish genuine from apparent exceptions Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)9 Decisive feature  : Causal analysis òsearch for the cause of social regularities (rationalisation of society) or particular events (war) òWeber: notion of adequate causation: a set of the most probable (sufficient) conditions which will have brought about a particular historical event (rationalisation, war) Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)10 Causal relationships in the social sciences 2modernisation of state/society  emergence of civility (N. Elias) 2structural changes (differentiation and reflexivity)  emergence of modern, rationalised societies (Habermas) 2rising grain prices cause peasant unrest 2changes in technology cause changes in ideology 2a cluster of political and social factors are most likely to have brought about the French Revolution Question: Do observable changes originate on the individual or collective level? Do we adopt Individualism or Holism? Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)11 Individualism  bottom up approach (Mill) (A. Smith)  derive the phenomena of society from the phenomena of human nature  the ‘laws’ of the phenomena of society reduce to the laws of the action of individual human beings, united in the social world  causal regularities underlying social phenomena reflect facts about individual agents (intentions, reasons, motives)  Example of individualist account of causation Secularisation/3 Models Antecedent Conditions: Extension of public transport to outlying districts of a major city Consequent Conditions: Deterioration of public schools in inner city Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)12 Holism  top down approach (Marx, Durkheim)  explain the actions of individuals by reference to underlying social structures  social facts do not reduce to individual facts  social phenomena exert force on individual  explanation of social life must be sought in the nature of society  social life as a result of the interdependence and interrelationship between individual members Examples of holist account of causation  Durkheim’s study of suicide  poverty and political instability Social Sciences 3 Models

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)13 +Durkheim’s study of suicide Social Sciences 3 Models Suicide Rates: Rise of 100% between Social Factors: Degree of Social Integrity Individual Factors: illness, poverty unchanged Egoistic Suicide Altruistic Suicide Anomic Suicide -Too little social integration -too much social integration -rapid changes in social integration

FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)14 +Poverty as cause of political instability Social Sciences 3 Models Individual Poverty Structural Changes and Modernisation Erosion of traditional restraint on behaviour Political Mobilisation Elite Intransigence Political Instability