Methodology for the Human Sciences: Systems of InquiryState University of New York Press, 1984 M06 30 - 364 pages Methodology for the Human Sciences addresses the growing need for a comprehensive textbook that surveys the emerging body of literature on human science research and clearly describes procedures and methods for carrying out new research strategies. It provides an overview of developing methods, describes their commonalities and variations, and contains practical information on how to implement strategies in the field. In it, Donald Polkinghorne calls for a renewal of debate over which methods are appropriate for the study of human beings, proposing that the results of the extensive changes in the philosophy of science since 1960 call for a reexamination of the original issues of this debate. The book traces the history of the deliberations from Mill and Dilthey to Hempel and logical positivism, examines recently developed systems of inquiry and their importance for the human sciences, and relates these systems to the practical problems of doing research on topics related to human experience. It discusses historical realism, systems and structures, phenomenology and hermeneutics, action theory, and the implications recent systems have for a revised human science methodology. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 75
Page ix
... Methods accepted in the past decades are now seen to rest on assumptions about research that have come under increasing attack , and questions once thought to have been answered are being asked again . Con- sequently , researchers now ...
... Methods accepted in the past decades are now seen to rest on assumptions about research that have come under increasing attack , and questions once thought to have been answered are being asked again . Con- sequently , researchers now ...
Page x
... methods . The idea that two approaches to knowl- edge are needed - one for the natural world and one for human phenomena has continued to resurface from time to time during the hundred years since Dilthey wrote , but the argument that ...
... methods . The idea that two approaches to knowl- edge are needed - one for the natural world and one for human phenomena has continued to resurface from time to time during the hundred years since Dilthey wrote , but the argument that ...
Page 1
... methods could provide certain knowledge while also addressing the unique characteristics of the human realm . The standard by which such methods were judged was whether they produced certain or “ ob- jective " truth . Some argued that ...
... methods could provide certain knowledge while also addressing the unique characteristics of the human realm . The standard by which such methods were judged was whether they produced certain or “ ob- jective " truth . Some argued that ...
Page 3
... method to follow . Science is not seen as an activity of following methodological recipes that yield acceptable ... methods are acceptable which produce results that convince the community that the new understanding is deeper , fuller ...
... method to follow . Science is not seen as an activity of following methodological recipes that yield acceptable ... methods are acceptable which produce results that convince the community that the new understanding is deeper , fuller ...
Page 4
... methods that will provide the best possible answers to the posed questions . The second conceptual tool needed by the human science researcher is the understanding that methods need to be responsive to the special characteristics of the ...
... methods that will provide the best possible answers to the posed questions . The second conceptual tool needed by the human science researcher is the understanding that methods need to be responsive to the special characteristics of the ...
Contents
The Received View of Science | 59 |
Theoretical Networks | 71 |
The Human Sciences and the Deductive System of Inquiry | 87 |
Pragmatic Science | 93 |
Sciences as Expressions of Various | 103 |
Systems and Structures | 135 |
Human Action | 169 |
Linguistic Accounts | 192 |
ExistentialPhenomenological and Hermeneutic Systems | 201 |
Human Science Research | 241 |
Use of Linguistic Data | 258 |
Concluding Remarks | 279 |
Notes | 291 |
Bibliography | 325 |
Index | 343 |
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Common terms and phrases
activity analysis apodictic approach argument basic behavior believed causal cause certainty concept consciousness context cultural deductive system described developed Dilthey Dilthey's discourse empirical empiricism example experience explanation expressions function Hempel hermeneutic historical human action human phenomena human realm human science Humanistic Psychology hypothesis Ibid individual inductive inference instance interaction interpretation investigation Jürgen Habermas kind knowledge claims language game laws linguistic logical positivism logical positivists meaning mental events method methodology notion objects observation organizing particular patterns Paul Ricoeur Peirce perception person phenomenological Philosophy of Science physical sciences position positivists postpositivist problem proposed psychology question rational reality received view refer relationship Ricoeur scientific scientists sensation sense data social science statements Stephen Toulmin structures systems of inquiry teleological theory trans truth understanding University Press valid various Vienna circle whole Wilhelm Dilthey Wittgenstein words York