Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 11:12:25 -0500
From: Ruth Groff <rgroff-AT-yorku.ca>
Subject: BHA: cr and social science


Hi guys,

There is a really basic point that I am all of a sudden very unclear about.  It's this: in PON, Bhaskar says that in the social sciences it is impossible to create artificially closed systems -- as is, by contrast, possible in the natural sciences.  It is impossible, it seems, because, social phenomena only manifest themselves in open systems (something like that is the exact quotation).

Now my question is: Why?  Or, more specifically, Why according to Bhaskar?  [I make this distinction not because I believe that if Bhaskar says it, it's true, but because I am trying to figure out exactly what it is that Bhaskar says.]

So: experimentation is impossible in social science.  This because structures (the proper object of social science, as opposed to psychology, according to RB) are such that they only manifest themselves in open systems.  Why?  

Plus, is the argument against the possibility of experimentation in the psychological sciences different at all, given the differences between structures and agents?  

Any thoughts welcome!

Warmly,
Ruth



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