Critical comments on Pearce, African philosophy, and the Sociological Thesis
Article Abstract:
African philosophy exists as a socially relevant discipline embedded within indigenous African cultures from where it originated and contributed significantly to philosophical knowledge. African philosophy with its rich heritage of critical reflection on philosophical problems relevant to African culture and society is one among various philosophies of the world, such as the Indian, Chinese, Western, and others. Carol Pearce's arguments that African philosophy has no indigenous basis, is irrelevant to African societies, that it has been made redundant by the Sociological Thesis, and that philosophy is mere linguistic analysis are irrational and unsupported by facts.
Publication Name: Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0048-3931
Year: 1995
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Theory choice and the comparison of rival theoretical perspectives in political sociology
Article Abstract:
The radical "second-order empiricism" strategy helps to make a judicious choice between opposing theories in political sociology. The strategy places a responsibility on successor theories to explain the merits of their opponent theories, along with the demerits of their own and that of contending theories. Such a methodology overcomes the limitations of other strategies, such as the formal models of scientific growth by Imre Lakatos and Larry Laudan. It is argued that such a strategy utilizes some of the most effective analyses in political sociology.
Publication Name: Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0048-3931
Year: 1996
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Impossible laws
Article Abstract:
Social scientists and philosophers oppose the idea behind the application of scientific methodology in the actual practice of social sciences. Scientific methodology requires lawlikeness as a condition sine qua non for scientific explanations. Some social theorists however, present conflicting and various responses on the possibility of formulating social-scientific laws due to the complexities and irregularities of social phenomena.
Publication Name: Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0048-3931
Year: 1997
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