*University of Stavanger*
Content
The course focuses on the following issues:
- The general nature of social science, and the relation between social science and natural science.
- The general nature of social reality, and the sense in which social phenomena may be said to be socially constructed.
- The role of values in social science, and the sense in which, and the extent to which, social science can be objective.
- The role of causal claims in social science, and the scientific significance of having to distinguish between different concepts of causation and causal evidence.
- The nature of explanation in social science, and the difference between holism and individualism about explanation.
- The role of interpretation in social science, and the sense in which, and the extent to which, social science may be characterized as interpretative.
- The nature of rationality, and the role of rationality assumptions in social science.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
After completing the course, students should:
- Have advanced knowledge of central issues in the philosophy of social science.
- Have advanced knowledge of major approaches to the relevant issues.
- Have advanced knowledge of the relevance of the philosophy of social science for social scientific research.
Skills
After completing the course, students should:
- Be able to formulate new research questions within the philosophy of social science.
- Be able to conduct research in the philosophy of social science at an international level.
- Be able to apply concepts and theories within the philosophy of social science to social scientific research in fruitful ways.
General competence
After completing the course, students should:
- Be able to communicate the results of research in the philosophy of social science through recognized national and international channels.
- Be able to participate in debates within the philosophy of social science in international fora.
- Be able to identify new and relevant ethical challenges, and conduct their research with academic integrity.
Required prerequisite knowledge
Participants must be enrolled in a PhD programme.
Recommended prerequisites
The course is integrated with PHD101: Research Design, but can also be taken as a stand-alone course.
Application deadline: 11 October 2024