Philosophy of Social Science A New Introduction

This is a much-needed new introduction to a field that has been transformed in recent years by exciting new subjects, ideas, and methods. It is designed both for students with central interests in philosophy and those planning to concentrate on the social sciences, and it presupposes no particular background in either domain. From the wide range of topics at the forefront of debate in philosophy of social science, the editors have chosen those which are representative of the most important and interesting contemporary work. A team of distinguished experts explore key aspects of the field such as social ontology (what are the things that social science studies?), objectivity, formal methods, measurement, and causal inference. Also included are chapters focused on notable subjects of social science research, such as well-being and climate change. Philosophy of Social Science provides a clear, accessible, and up-to-date guide to this fascinating field.

Nancy Cartwright is Professor of Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, University of Durham and at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Her research interests include philosophy and history of science (especially physics and economics), causal inference, objectivity, and evidence, especially on evidence-based policy.

Eleonora Montuschi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage at the University of Venice, and Senior Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a philosopher of science working on scientific objectivity, the theory and practice of evidence, and methodological issues of the social sciences.

Introduction
PART I. Current Debates
1. Well-being, Anna Alexandrova
2. Climate change, Wendy Parker
3. Evidence-based policy, Eileen Munro
4. Community-based collaborative archaeology, Alison Wylie
PART II. Ontological Issues
5. Social ontology, Deborah Tollefsen
6. Individuals or population?, Helen Longino
PART III. Questions About Objectivity
7. Scientific objectivity, Eleonora Montuschi
8. Feminist standpoint theory, Sharon Crasnow
9. Values in social science, Heather Douglas
PART IV. Using Formal Models
10. Choice models, Katie Steele
11. Norms, conventions, and the power of expectations, Cristina Bicchieri
PART V. Methodological Perspectives
12. Interdisciplinarity in action, Sophia Efstathiou and Zara Mirmalek
13. Social epistemology in practice, Miriam Solomon
PART VI. Research Methods
14. Measurement, Nancy Cartwright and Rosa Runhardt
15. Case studies, Mary Morgan
16. Causal inference, Nancy Cartwright