Ontology, Methodological Individualism, and the Foundations of the Social Sciences

Bibliographic Data

ID11627338
AuthorsRobert Sugden (0000-0002-3401-3139, University of East Anglia, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume54
Issue4
Pages1377-1389
Publication date2016-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Economic Literature (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0515 • E-ISSN: 1547-1101
PublisherAmerican Economic Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1257/jel.20151372
OpenAlexW2317329525
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited16

This is a review essay based on a critical assessment of The Ant Trap: Rebuilding the Foundations of the Social Sciences by Brian Epstein. Epstein argues that models in the social sciences are inadequate because they are based on a false ontology of methodological individualism, and proposes a new model of social ontology. I examine this model and point to flaws in it. More generally, I argue against Epstein's methodological approach, which treats social ontology as prior to social scientific modeling and as certifying the “building blocks” that modelers then use. I argue that modelers can legitimately shape the building blocks for their own models. (JEL A10, B40)

Data science · Epistemology · Individualism · Management science · Methodological individualism · Ontology · Point (geometry · Political science · Social ontology · Social science · Sociology · Computer Science · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Engineering · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Mathematics · Philosophy · Philosophy and History of Science

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