File spoon-archives/bhaskar.archive/bhaskar_2002/bhaskar.0202, message 9


Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 11:34:43 -0500
From: iversteg <iversteg-AT-temple.edu>
Subject: BHA: cr and social science


Dear Ruth and all,

It seems Bhaskar is looking for a demarcational point between the natural
and social sciences and he fixes on the closed-open system aspect.
Apart from being arbitrary as you say, it could also undermine his naturalism.
 A 'closed' system might inflate the natural sciences too much (creating
more gulf between them), in spite of the fact that he denies that prediction 
is an aspect of any true science.  And then what does the status of dynamic 
systems theory (systems 'far from equilibrium') do to this picture?  These 
systems were after all first used in physics.

It is worthwhile referring to Maurice Mandelbaum's treatment of the subject
in _Purpose and Necessity in Social Theory_ (1987).  He calls natural science
phenomena applicable to any matter (or people) at all times and a social
science phenomena applicable within a cultural system.  This provides the
demarcational point between psychology and sociology or anthropology.
Something like 'cross-cultural psychology,' far from being a warring battle
ground for the degree of nature or nurture in an experimental depth test
given to native Africans (or whomever), it is simply the study of native
psychological abilities in cross-cultural settings.  Thus it becomes a 
causal study of the interaction of native faculties and the ecological
pressures that tune these faculties.

This reminds me of the discussion of psychology made by the philosopher from
Hawai'i (I hope people will know who I am absent-mindedly referring to) based
on Bhaskar's work.  He called psychology a social science and said that only
neuro-science was a natural science.  Perhaps Bhaskar's thinking on this
closed-open system thinking colored his thinking?

Since I don't have PON before me, I look forward to others' closer readings.

Ian

Ian Verstegen
Department of Art History
Temple University
8th Floor Ritter Hall Annex
Philadelphia, PA 19122
tel: (215) 204-7837
fax: (215) 204-6951
http://astro.temple.edu/~iversteg



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