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Product Description
Product Description
This textbook by Martin Hollis offers an exceptionally clear and concise introduction to the philosophy of social science. It examines questions which give rise to fundamental philosophical issues. Are social structures better conceived of as systems of laws and forces, or as webs of meanings and practices? Is social action better viewed as rational behaviour, or as self-expression? By exploring such questions, the reader is led to reflect upon the nature of scientific method in social science. Is the aim to explain the social world after a manner worked out for the natural world, or to understand the social world from within?
Book Description
Written in Martin Hollis' characteristically clear and incisive prose, this textbook will appeal to philosophers and social scientists alike as an outstanding introduction to the subject.
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First Sentence
The 1980s ended with the collapse of communist regimes throughout Eastern Europe. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The 1980s ended with the collapse of communist regimes throughout Eastern Europe. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Hollis has written an easy to read text which covers all the fundamental aspects of social science. Beginning with a brief introduction in to the historical origins of the social sciences, he overviews behaviouralism and explains how it fits in with the current research. littered with real life and anecdotal examples, Hollis provides a light hearted atmosphere on which the elemental grasps of the social sciences are set. I would suggest this book for both introductory and intermediate understanding of the subject. It is very helpful
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3 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
The Ontology & Epistemology Behind the Methods
18 April 2002
Format:Paperback
Hollis's book provides a sorely needed corrective to the common but unfortunate assumption that "method" is distinct from "theory". Through a series of examples, allegories, and histories, the author illustrates the differences in ontology (ways of being) and epistemology (ways of knowing) that inform how research is done in the social sciences. Hollis's prose succeeds in bridging the gap between the abstract and the concrete better than many expositions on the philosophy of social science. I enjoy assigning it to my research methods students to remind them of the philosophy that motivates the quantitative and qualitative methods they are studying.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
comprehensive introduction to social sciences
1 July 2000
Format:Paperback
Great stuff for researchers, be they young or somewhat older. The book reveals the underlying rationale of a lot of confusion that is going around in the social sciences. By outlining the history of social sciences and concurrently looking at the basic assumptions of subsequent conflicting scientific views, Hollis enhances the cohesion and credibility of the field of social sciences. Though not easy to consume, this is an exciting book for all the investigative out there who pretend to be able to talk with authority about the philosophy of social sciences...
1 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Confusing
13 Nov 2004
Format:Paperback
This book, although quite interesting seems to be written mostly not to explain the subject to the reader, but to confuse the reader with lots of irrelevant details. The author seems to lack the ability to stick to his point, and drifts away from it more than once in most chapters. The structure of the book looks very appealing by the mixture of two questions. But as it turns out, the holistic/individual & explaining/understanding distinctions are not stricly seperated, or usefully connected.
Some comparisions made in this book (for example, the different book of Durckheim are compared in a quite messy way) are in my opinion just their because the author wanted to show off how much he has read.
Alltogether I think this book is really a waste of paper, ink and time. So I would recommend NOT to buy this book; try to look for a book by an other author when you're interesseted in this subject.
Some comparisions made in this book (for example, the different book of Durckheim are compared in a quite messy way) are in my opinion just their because the author wanted to show off how much he has read.
Alltogether I think this book is really a waste of paper, ink and time. So I would recommend NOT to buy this book; try to look for a book by an other author when you're interesseted in this subject.
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