{"product_id":"a-treatise-on-social-theory-paperback-9780521272513","title":"A Treatise on Social Theory (Paperback) 9780521272513","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eA Treatise on Social Theory\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis first volume of a trilogy on social theory sets out the criteria by which the work of social scientists require to be tested.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eW. G. Runciman (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9780521272513, Cambridge University Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback, published 3 March 1983\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e364 pages\u003cbr\u003e22.8 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.556 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eIn this first volume of a projected trilogy, the author argues that a methodology adequate to solve the long-standing debate over the status of the social as against the natural sciences can be constructed in terms of a fourhold distinction between the reportage, explanation, description and evaluation of human behaviour. The distinction rests on an analysis of the scope and nature of social theory which is not only original in conception but far-reaching in its implications for the assessment of the results of sociological, anthropological and historical research. In this volume, there are set out the separate and distinctive criteria by which the reports, explanations, descriptions and evaluations put forward by social scientists of rival theoretical schools require to be tested. These criteria will then be applied in Volume II to a substantive theory of social relations, social structure and social evolution, and in Volume III to a detailed analysis of the society of twentieth-century England. Each of the three volumes can be read independently of the others. Thus the trilogy will, when completed, be seen to form a coherent and unified whole.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePreface\u003cbr\u003e Part I. Introduction: The Nature of Social Theory: 1. Social theory as science\u003cbr\u003e 2. The concept of understanding\u003cbr\u003e 3. Analysis of actions\u003cbr\u003e 4. Two kinds of value-judgement\u003cbr\u003e 5. The problem of reflexivity\u003cbr\u003e 6. Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e Part II. Reportage in Social Theory: 7. The practice of primary understanding\u003cbr\u003e 8. The choice of terms\u003cbr\u003e 9. The bounds of reportage\u003cbr\u003e 10. Sub-types and variants\u003cbr\u003e 11. Definition and classification\u003cbr\u003e 12. Inference within reportage\u003cbr\u003e 13. Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e Part III. Explanation in Social Theory: 14. Theory-making and secondary understanding\u003cbr\u003e 15. The grounding of hypotheses\u003cbr\u003e 16. Interpreting weak but adequate theories\u003cbr\u003e 17. Varieties of causes\u003cbr\u003e 18. Goals, functions and evolution\u003cbr\u003e 19. Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e Part IV. Description in Social Theory: 20. Tertiary understanding\u003cbr\u003e 21. Authenticity and its opposites\u003cbr\u003e 22. Putting descriptions across\u003cbr\u003e 23. The uses of analogy and detail\u003cbr\u003e 24. Conceptualization and narration\u003cbr\u003e 25. The relation of description to evaluation\u003cbr\u003e 26. How good can descriptions hope to be? 27. Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e Part V. Evaluation in Social Theory: 28. The inescapability of evaluation\u003cbr\u003e 29. Benevolence as a presupposition\u003cbr\u003e 30. forms of misevaluation\u003cbr\u003e 31. Appealing to the 'facts'\u003cbr\u003e 32. Evaluation without pre-emption\u003cbr\u003e 33. Theory-neutral uses of evaluative terms\u003cbr\u003e 34. Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e Index.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Social theory [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Social theory\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Social%20theory%20%5BJHBA%5D%22\"\u003eJHBA\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46004360872216,"sku":"9780521272513","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/products\/9780521272513i_3ed198f1-c30d-4fce-8f9b-373f8cdbf0aa.jpg?v=1691374319","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/a-treatise-on-social-theory-paperback-9780521272513","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}