WEEK 1- L1.2 philosophy of social science | positivism, scientific realism, interpretivism

Question 1

what’s ontology?

Answer 1

discusses the nature of the social world, if there’s a reality independent of the observer

Question 2

what’s epistemology?

Answer 2

what can we know about social phonomena

Question 3

what’s methodology?

Answer 3

how do we gain and obtain knowledge

Question 4

what’s positivism?

Answer 4

search for the truth through systematic collection of observable facts

Question 5

who’s a proponent of positivism?

Answer 5

august compte- father of sociology

Question 6

different positions of positivism? (3)

Answer 6

1. classical positivism
2. logical positivism
3. falsification (popper)

Question 7

what’s classical positivism?

Answer 7

assumes that the social sciences are equivalent to the natural sciences

Question 8

what are the basic tenants of classical positivism?

Answer 8

1. naturalism: social sciences= natural sciences
2. empiricism: knowledge of the world is limited to sensory experience
3. laws: social world is subject to regular and systematic processes; laws are explanatory and predictive

Question 8

basic tenants of classical positivism? (4)

Answer 8

1. naturalism: social sciences= natural sciences
2. empiricism: knowledge of the world is limited to sensory experience
3. laws: social world is subject to regular and systematic processes; laws are explanatory and predictive
   empirical observations are enough to establish a causal r.ship- no need for underlying reasons
4. science is objective and value free

Question 9

what approach is positivism based on?

Answer 9

induction
observation => theory

Question 10

what’s logical positivism?

Answer 10

empiricism isn’t the only source of knowledge

Question 11

what approach is logical positivism based on?

Answer 11

deduction
theory => observation

retroduction
<=> observation

Question 12

basic tenants of logical positivism

Answer 12

1. empiricism + logical reasoning
   a. deduction, retroduction, verification

Question 13

critique of logical positivism by karl popper

Answer 13

1. rejection of induction: observations can’t justify universal claims
2. rejection of verifiability: attempting to prove right isn’t useful, one exception and theory is gone

Question 14

critique of logical positivism by karl popper

Answer 14

1. rejection of induction: observations can’t justify universal claims
2. rejection of verifiability: attempting to prove right isn’t useful, one exception and theory is gone

Question 15

what does karl popper suggest a goal of a research should be?

Answer 15

to falsify a theory

Question 16

who founded the deductive nomological model?

Answer 16

carl gustav hempel

Question 17

what’s hempel’s deductive nomological model?

Answer 17

an observed phenomenon is explained if it can be deduced from a universal law-like generalization
- law expresses necessary connection between properties, accidental generalization doesn’t

Question 18

what’s the hypothetico deductive model?

Answer 18

confirms that a generalization is a law by treating the generalization as a hypothesis
testing the ability of law to predict events
law => hypothesis => explicit processes

Question 19

what are the two conclusion options for hypothetico deductive model?

Answer 19

1. prediction correct- hypothesis corroborated
2. prediction incorrect- hypothesis falsified

Question 20

what’s the similarities btw positivism and scientific realism? (2)

Answer 20

1. social and natural worlds are similar
2. objective reality exist

Question 21

what’s the key difference btw positivism and scientific realism? (4)

Answer 21

1. scientific realism says that reality can consist of
2. unobservable elements too - like structural relationships
3. assesment by observable consequences
4. causal mechanisms instead of lawlike generalizations
5. best theory is the one that explains phenomena the best

Question 22

what are some examples of mechanisms- scientific realism ? (charles tilly) (3)

Answer 22

1. environmental: externally generated influences on conditions affecting social life
2. cognitive: operate through alterations of individual and collective perceptions
3. relational: alter connections among people, groups, and interpersonal networks

Question 23

micro-level (individualism) ontology

Answer 23

the basic unit of society are individuals, and social phenomena are the combined results of individual actions

Question 24

micro-level (individualism) methodology

Answer 24

explanations of social phenomena like classes ,or nations must be reducible to the characteristics of individuals

Question 25

macro-level (holism) ontology

Answer 25

the whole of something is distinct from and not directly explicable in terms of its parts. social facts have social causes that are irreducible to facts about individuals

Question 25

macro-level (holism) ontology

Answer 25

the whole of something is distinct from and not directly explicable in terms of its parts. social facts have social causes that are irreducible to facts about individuals

Question 26

macro-level (holism) methodology

Answer 26

the properties of a system as a whole can’t be deduced by the properties of its components alone. the system as a whole determines how the parts behave. each social entity (group, institution, society) has a totality that’s distinct

Question 27

coleman’s bathtub

Answer 27

macro conditions lead to macro outcomes.

however, to fully grasp the mechanisms, we should look at how a macro condition leads to a micro condition that leads to a micro outcome, which leads to a macro outcome.

Question 28

what’s the logic behind coleman’s bathtub?

Answer 28

combines structural effects on the macro level with agency/ actors at the micro level

Question 29

differences between positivism and interpretivism?

Answer 29

social world and natural worlds are fundamentally different, so they require different methods

Question 30

why do interpretivists think that the social world is different?

Answer 30

subjectively created
understanding human behaviour by interpretation of meaning of social behaviour (socially and discursively constructed)
examples: hermeneutics, critical theory, constructivism, post colonialism, feminism

Question 31

abduction is related to the (…) approach

Answer 31

scientific realism

Question 32

abductive reasoning

Answer 32

starts with an observation and then seeks the simplest and most likely conclusion from the observations.