The Logic of Social Science (Hardcover)

A groundbreaking logic-based approach to bridging the scientific-constructivist divide in social science The Logic of Social Science offers new principles for designing and conducting social science research. James Mahoney uses set-theoretic analysis to develop a fresh scientific constructivist approach that avoids essentialist biases in the production of knowledge. This approach recognizes that social categories depend on collective understandings for their existence, but it insists that this recognition need not hinder the use of explicit procedures for the rational assessment of truth. Mahoney shows why set-theoretic analysis enables scholars to avoid the pitfalls of essentialism and produce findings that rest on a firm scientific foundation. Extending his previous work and incorporating new material, Mahoney presents specific tools for formulating and evaluating theories in the social sciences. Chapters include discussions of models of causality, procedures for testing propositions, tools for conducting counterfactual and sequence analysis, and principles for knowledge accumulation. Equal focus is placed on theory building and explanatory tools, including principles for working with general theoretical orientations and normative frameworks in scientific research. Mahoney brings a novel perspective to understanding the relationship among actors, social rules, and social resources, and he offers original ideas for the analysis of temporality, critical events, and path dependence. Bridging the rift between those who take a scientific approach and those who take a constructivist one, The Logic of Social Science forges an ambitious way forward for social science researchers.

General

Imprint:	Princeton University Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	August 2021
First published:	2021
Authors:	James Mahoney
Dimensions:	235 x 156 x 32mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover - Trade binding
Pages:	416
ISBN-13:	978-0-691-21705-5
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political science & theory Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social research & statistics > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > General
LSN:	0-691-21705-X
Barcode:	9780691217055

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