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Tables of Contents for Understanding Social Science
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Preface to the Second Edition
viii
Acknowledgement
x
The Nature of Science
Empiricism
1
6
The Role of Theories
7
6
The Views of Kuhn and Feyerabend
13
10
Objectivity and the Sociology of Knowledge
The Social Character of Knowledge
23
3
Wittgenstein and Rules
26
4
The Sociology of Knowledge
30
3
Objectivity and Reflexivity
33
5
Truth and False Consciousness
38
6
Individuals and Society
Consciousness and Behaviour
44
4
The Goal of Social Science
48
4
Social Reality and the Individual
52
5
Constraints on Subjectivity
57
7
Understanding Other Societies
Humans as Social Beings
64
5
Public Practice and Private Understanding
69
6
Understanding Alien Practices
75
5
The Basis of Understanding Other Societies
80
3
Samoa: An Example
83
6
Rationality
Scientific Rationality and Ethnomethodology
89
4
Rationality as a Social Practice
93
5
`Expressive' and `Symbolic' Practices
98
4
Belief and Rationality
102
3
The Explanation of Ritual
105
7
Facts and Values
`Value-free' Science
112
3
Scientific Values
115
4
Objectivity in Social Science
119
4
The Values of Social Science
123
3
Ideology
126
6
Economics and Society
Rationality and Desires
132
4
Economics and Egoism
136
6
Private Interest and Public Goods
142
5
Individualism
147
3
Rationality and Revolution
150
5
Culture: Function and Adaptation
Social Function
155
5
The Role of Consciousness
160
3
Biology and Social Science
163
3
Human Sociobiology
166
4
Biology and Altruism
170
6
Sociobiology and Determinism
The `Leash' Principle
176
3
Opposition to Sociobiology
179
4
Determinism
183
4
Sociobiology and Freedom
187
3
Human Freedom
190
8
Markets and Social Institutions
Individuals and the Market
198
3
Religion and Rational Choice
201
4
The Social Context
205
3
The Nature of Social Institutions
208
8
Tradition and Reason
Tradition
216
3
Hermeneutics
219
2
The Reaction against the Enlightenment
221
6
A Middle Way?
227
3
Group Selection
230
5
The Philosophical Basis of Social Science
Critical Realism
235
5
Reason and Realism
240
3
Neo-positivism
243
3
Postmodernism
246
3
Conclusion
249
5
Glossary
254
7
Bibliography
261
5
Index
266