1. FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)1 Friedel Weinert: Philosophy of the Social Sciences Year II: Semester II SS-2000M Historical Perspectives on the Social Sciences: Natur- und Geisteswissenschaften Lecture II

2. FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)2 Emergence of Social Sciences !Intellectual Climate : Classical Physics, Darwinism, Enlightenment !Philosophical Models of the Social Sciences $Naturalistic Model  Classical Physics $Hermeneutic Model  History $Critical Model  Philosophy {‘Frankfurt School’} 1890s 1930s-1940s Roots and Basic Principles

3. FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)3 Emergence of Social Sciences: Naturalism The Naturalistic Model èIntellectual Roots in France, after French Revolution ì Henri de Saint Simon (1760-1825) ìAuguste Comte (1798-1857) Saint Simon - a scientific reformer ìscience to organise society ìsociety is a ‘real machine’, based on industry ìsociety to be led by scientists and technocrats (Council of Newton) ìscience itself must be organised éEncyclopaedia éPhysicalism Note: Physicalism is the view that the conceptual apparatus of physical science is adequate to describe, predict and explain both the social and the natural world.

4. FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)4 Dominant theme of social science thinking in 19th century: ëPositivism ìsociology must become a natural science ìsearch for natural laws of human behaviour ì “ “ “ of societal development ìsocial facts as a system of natural facts Comte - Positive Philosophy é‘facts’ only exist in given historical order ékey to sociology is philosophy of history ésociology has two parts êsocial dynamic êsocial static Emergence of Social Sciences: Naturalism

5. FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)5

6. 6 Connection between social static and social physics: å present social order as result of progress of civilisation åthis progress is governed by determinate laws Reduction of sociology to physics? å No, there is a linear order of the sciences Emergence of Social Sciences: Naturalism Mathematics astronomy physics chemistry biology sociology ‘social organism’ ‘organic solidarity’

7. FWeinert, Bradford University (UK)7  A bone of contention  Are social facts like natural facts?  Can social facts be related like natural facts (laws)?  Is the assimilation to the natural sciences appropriate? These assumptions were questioned in: The Hermeneutic Model Basic Idea:  the social sciences (moral sciences, human studies, Geisteswissenschaften) are based on the study of history. Emergence of Social Sciences: Naturalism