Theory and Method: Validation in the Social Sciences by International Comparison
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Date
1985-04
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Abstract
"Scientific knowledge is a representation of the natural world. What is taught in a scientific discipline is some aspect of that representation a 'map' of some local region of objects or phenomena. The essence of 'validity' in science education is that this map should be very clear, precise, and connected in every part, able to give a rigorous answer to every well-formulated question within its scope".! also applies, mutatis mutandis, to those other disciplines that concern. mankind and society. The key words here are, of course, mutatis mutandis. The natural universe is complex and mysterious enough, and natural scientists are well aware of how difficult it is to arrive at reliable scientific answers to the problems they address.
Description
This article by Edmond A. Lisle examines how the social sciences, while scientific in their reasoning and theory-building, fundamentally differ from the natural sciences. It highlights that social scientists cannot conduct true experiments or predict outcomes with certainty due to the uniqueness of human behavior and historical events. Social sciences are probabilistic, culturally embedded, and their theories can influence the very societies they study. The article emphasizes the need for social scientists to adopt cross-cultural perspectives for valid research.
Keywords
Social Sciences, Cultural Perspective, Experimentation, Natural sciences, Cultural Perspective
Citation
Lisle, Edmond A. (1985). Theory and Method: Validation in the Social Sciences by International Comparison.