Summary PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE 1




PHILOSOPHY OF
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Summary



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,PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE 2




Ancient philosophers



Philosophy is…

1) Conceptual research

= empirical (scientific) research provides a scientific worldview

What do you mean by concept God/life/intelligence?

2) Conceptual clarification

= you look at the science to elaborate on the concepts, more than just conceptual
analysis

3) Research into foundations & validity of concept

- You use a range of concepts such as “causality” without thinking about
the concept, but are they valid?

4) Training in changing perspective

In Dutch high school it is presenting as perspective taking

5) Quest for the truth

- In ancient Greece there were teachers who taught you to win an argument
with persuasion skills without being right

- Socrates opposed these teachers, he wanted truth

6) All of the above

Philosophy is critical thinking.

What is philosophy of science?

,PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE 3


= philosophical reflection on what science is, does, and how it generates
knowledge

Theory of knowledge = epistemology

1. What is (certain knowledge)?

2. How can we justify that knowledge?

3. What is the source of knowledge? (Rationalism + Empiricism)

Skepticism

“perhaps the conclusion must even be that we do not know anything at all, and
never will”

- The dreaming argument

Out of the Cave: Rationalism and Empiricism in Antiquity

, PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE 4




Rationalism – Plato – To learn is to remember - anamnesis