Philosophy and methodology of science

obligatory courses

(in Polish) Umiejętność czytania ze zrozumieniem. Umiejętność analizy tekstu według podstawowych kategorii metodologicznych. Zidentyfikowanie podstawowych problemów analizowanego tekstu.

Classroom

The aim of the seminar is to get students acquainted with the basic philosophical and methodological problems in the social sciences. Specifically, to demonstrate the paradigmatic nature of science and scientific knowledge, and to disclose the fundamental role of theoretical thinking in the process of designing research projects and structuring research processes. The classes consist of two parts: the first one is dedicated to philosophical questions and answers – what is the nature of social sciences and humanities, what one can and cannot justifiably expect from their results, what is their significance, what are their ways of justification, what is specific about the truth claims in social sciences and humanities, respectively. What is the role of authority and freedom of critique? The second part is devoted to the analysis of selected theoretical approaches in various areas of social sciences and their implications for methodology and the research process.

The aim of the seminar is to get students acquainted with the basic philosophical and methodological problems in the social sciences. Specifically, to demonstrate the paradigmatic nature of science and scientific knowledge, and to disclose the fundamental role of theoretical thinking in the process of designing research projects and structuring research processes. The classes consist of two parts: the first one is dedicated to philosophical questions and answers – what is the nature of social sciences and humanities, what one can and cannot justifiably expect from their results, what is their significance, what are their ways of justification, what is specific about the truth claims in social sciences and humanities, respectively. What is the role of authority and freedom of critique? This part is based on an analysis and discussion of works by outstanding philosophers, Martin Heidegger and Hans-Georg Gadamer, historian of science Thomas Kuhn and sociologist Max Weber. The second part is devoted to the analysis of selected theoretical approaches in various areas of social sciences and their implications for methodology and the research process. It is based on recent scholarly works, which skillfully combine theoretical sophistication with empirical evidence. The analysis and discussion will concentrate on the theoretical foundation of the research problem, inference from theoretical assumptions, consequences of theoretical assumptions for methodology, and the relation between methodological assumptions and the choice of research techniques.

1. Thomas Kuhn – Droga do nauki normalnej i Istota nauki normalnej, w: T. Kuhn, Struktura rewolucji naukowych, Warszawa: Fundacja Aletheia 2001, s. 33-73.

2. Martin Heidegger, Grecka i nowożytna koncepcja nauki - zmiana paradygmatu: ciało i ruch u Greków oraz w fizyce Galileusza i Newtona, w: M. Heidegger, Pytanie o rzecz, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo KR 2001, s. 74-89.

3. Max Weber, Nauka jako zawód i powołanie, w: Polityka jako zawód i powołanie, Kraków: Znak 1998, s. 111-140.

4. Hans-Georg Gadamer, Prawda w naukach humanistycznych i Autorytet i wolność krytyczna, w: Teoria, etyka, edukacja. Eseje wybrane, Warszawa: WUW 2008, s.102-110 oraz 157-164.

5. Dietlind Stolle, Kapitał społeczny, w: Zachowania polityczne, tom 2, (red. Russell J. Dalton, Hans-Dieter Klingemann), Warszawa: Oxford – Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN 2010, s. 281-305.

6. Robert Putnam, Rozmyślania o zmianie społecznej w Ameryce oraz Mierzenie zmiany społecznej, w: Samotna gra w kręgle. Upadek i odrodzenie wspólnot lokalnych w Stanach Zjednoczonych, Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Akademickie i Profesjonalne 2008, s. 27-47, 675-699.

7. Paweł Rojek, Systemy binarne i ternarne, Dwa modele dyskursu Solidarności (odzwierciedlenie systemu czy przekroczenie systemu?), w: Semiotyka Solidarności, Kraków: Nomos 2009, s. 27-49, 110-167.

8. Danielle Hervieu-Léger, Rozproszona religia nowoczesnych społeczeństw, w: Religia jako pamięć, Kraków: Nomos 2007, s. 46-71.

9. Pippa Norris, Ronald Inglehart, Teoria sekularyzacji i pomiar sekularyzacji, w: Sacrum i profanum. Religia i polityka na świecie, Kraków: Nomos 2006, s. 41-58, 66-93.

10. Jan Assman, Kultura pamięci, w: Pamięć zbiorowa i kulturowa, Kraków: Universitas 2009, s. 59-99.

11. Ronald Inglehart, Wartości postmaterialne oraz przejście od wartości związanych z przetrwaniem do wartości związanych z wyrażaniem własnego „ja”, w: Zachowania polityczne, tom 1, (red Russell J. Dalton, Hans-Dieter Klingemann), Warszawa: Oxford – Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN 2010, s. 280-301.

12. Paweł Dybel, Polityka jako antagonizm. Implikacje myśli politycznej Siegmunda Freuda, w: Okruchy psychoanalizy, Kraków: Universitas 2009, s. 389-425.

13. Herbert Kitschelt – Niezadowolenie z demokracji. Populizm jako reakcja na niewydolność systemów partyjnych, w: Demokracja w obliczu populizmu, Warszawa: Oficyna Naukowa 2007, s. 249-271.

14. Robert D. Putnam, E pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century. The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture, w: Scandinavian Political Studies, vol. 30 – No. 2, 2007 lub Structural Realignments in American City Politics. Less Class, More Race, and a New Political Culture", w: Urban Affairs Review, Vol. 31, No. 3, January 1996, 367-403.

Is aware of ongoing theoretical and methodological disputes conducted in modern sociology; is reflective and critical of various positions

Has in-depth knowledge of selected methods and techniques of social research, their limitations, specificity and areas of application

Is aware of the importance of a reflective and critical approach to the results of social research, analyses and research procedures

Has in-depth knowledge of assumptions and claims of selected historical and contemporary sociological theories

Approaches the choice of a particular theoretical perspective in a reflective and critical way

Is aware of the existence of social dilemmas related to the work of the sociologist

Is open to various theoretical and methodological perspectives of social research

Colloquium, short essay and active particitation in class