The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Social Science (Oxford Handbooks)

"The philosophy of the social sciences considers the underlying explanatory powers of the social (or human) sciences, such as history, economics, anthropology, politics, and sociology. The type of questions covered includes the methodological (the nature of observations, laws, theories, and explanations) to the ontological -- whether or not these sciences can explain human nature in a way consistent with common-sense beliefs. This Handbook is a major, comprehensive look at the key ideas in the field, is guided by several principles. The first is that the philosophy of social science should be closely connected to, and informed by, developments in the sciences themselves. The second is that the volume should appeal to practicing social scientists as well as philosophers, with the contributors being both drawn from both ranks, and speaking to ongoing controversial issues in the field. Finally, the volume promotes connections across the social sciences, with greater internal discussion and interaction across disciplinary boundaries."--Publisher's description This Handbook Is A Major, Comprehensive Look At The Key Ideas In The Field, And Is Guided By Several Principles. The First Is That The Philosophy Of Social Science Should Be Closely Connected To, And Informed By, Developments In The Sciences Themselves. Introduction: Doing Philosophy Of Social Science / Harold Kincaid -- Micro, Macro, And Mechanisms / Petri Ylikoski -- Mechanisms, Causal Modeling, And The Limitations Of Traditional Multiple Regression / Harold Kincaid -- Process Tracing And Causal Mechanisms / David Waldner -- Descriptive-causal Generalizations : Empirical Laws In The Social Sciences? / Gary Goertz -- Useful Causal Complexity / David Byrne And Emma Uprichard -- Partial Explanations In Social Science / Robert Northcott -- Counterfactuals / Julian Reiss -- Mechanistic Social Probability : How Individual Choices And Varying Circumstances Produce Stable Social Patterns / Marshall Abrams -- The Impact Of Duhemian Principles On Social Science Testing And Progress / Fred Chernoff -- Philosophy And The Practice Of Bayesian Statistics In The Social Sciences / Andrew Gelman And Cosma Rohilla Shalizi -- Sciences Of Historical Tokens And Theoretical Types : History And The Social Sciences / Aviezer Tucker --^ Rcts, Evidence And Predicting Policy Effectiveness / Nancy Cartwright -- Bringing Context And Variability Back In To Causal Analysis / Stephen Morgan And Christopher Winship -- The Potential Value Of Computational Models In Social Science Research / Ken Kollman -- Models Of Culture / Mark Risjord -- Norms / David Henderson -- The Evolutionary Programme In Social Philosophy / Francesco Guala -- Cultural Evolution : Integration And Scepticism / Tim Lewens -- Coordination And The Foundations Of Social Intelligence / Don Ross -- Making Race Out Of Nothing : Psychologically Constrained Social Roles / Ron Mallon & Daniel Kelly Mallon -- A Feminist Empirical And Integrative Approach In Political Science : Breaking-down The Glass Wall? / Amy G. Mazur -- Social Constructions Of Mental Illness / Allan Horwitz -- Cooperation And Reciprocity : Empirical Evidence And Normative Implications / James Woodward -- Evaluating Social Policy / Daniel M. Hausman --^ Values And The Science Of Well-being : A Recipe For Mixing / Anna Alexandrova. Edited By Harold Kincaid. Includes Bibliographical References. Table Of Contents 8 Preface 12 Contributors 14 1 Introduction : Doing Philosophy Of Social Science 22 Part I: M echanisms, Explanation, and Causation 38 2 Micro, Macro, And Mechanisms 40 3 Mechanisms, Causal Modeling, And The Limitations Of Traditional Multiple Regression 65 4 Process Tracing And Causal Mechanisms 84 5 Descriptive-causal Generalizations : “empirical Laws” In The Social Sciences? 104 6 Useful Complex Causality 128 7 Partial Explanations In Social Science 149 8 Counterfactuals 173 9 Mechanistic Social Probability : How Individual Choices And Varying Circumstances Produce Stable Social Patterns 203 part II Evidence 246 10 The Impact Of Duhemian Principles On Social Science Testing And Progress 248 11 Philosophy And The Practice Of Bayesian Statistics In The Social Sciences 278 12 Sciences Of Historical Tokens And Theoretical Types : History And The Social Sciences 293 13 Rcts, Evidence, And Predicting Policy Effectiveness 317 14 Bringing Context And Variability Back Into Causal Analysis 338 15 The Potential Value Of Computational Models In Social Science Research 374 part III Norms, Culture, and the Social-Psychological 404 16 Models Of Culture 406 17 Norms 428 18 The Evolutionary Program In Social Philosophy 455 19 Cultural Evolution : Integration And Skepticism 477 20 Coordination And The Foundations Of Social Intelligence 500 21 Making Race Out Of Nothing : Psychologically Constrained Social Roles 526 part IV Sociology of Knowledge 550 22 A Feminist Empirical And Integrative Approach In Political Science : Breaking Down The Glass Wall? 552 23 Social Constructions Of Mental Illness 578 part V Normative Connections 598 24 Cooperation And Reciprocity : Empirical Evidence And Normative Implications 600 25 Evaluating Social Policy 626 26 Values And The Science Of Well-being : A Recipe For Mixing 644 Index 666 The philosophy of the social sciences considers the underlying explanatory powers of the social (or human) sciences, such as history, economics, anthropology, politics, and sociology. The type of questions covered includes the methodological (the nature of observations, laws, theories, and explanations) to the ontological -- whether or not these sciences can explain human nature in a way consistent with common-sense beliefs. This __Handbook__ is a major, comprehensive look at the key ideas in the field, is guided by several principles. The first is that the philosophy of social science should be closely connected to, and informed by, developments in the sciences themselves. The second is that the volume should appeal to practicing social scientists as well as philosophers, with the contributors being both drawn from both ranks, and speaking to ongoing controversial issues in the field. Finally, the volume promotes connections across the social sciences, with greater internal discussion and interaction across disciplinary boundaries.