Quandaries in meta-theory
Against Pluralism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2159296 |
|---|---|
| Authors | John R Hall (0000-0002-6230-8612), Bent Flyvbjerg (0000-0001-9093-770X) |
| Year | 2002 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 483-496 |
| Publication date | 2002-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Economy and Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0308-5147 • E-ISSN: 1469-5766 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0308514020151909 |
| OpenAlex | W2045671117 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 4 |
This article provides an exposition and critique of recent attempts to systematize meta-theoretical issues in the human sciences on the basis of thoroughgoing pluralism and reflexivity. In spite of wholehearted efforts to avoid scientistic justification for what I call 'methodologism', the development of any interesting or robust criteria for cross-theoretical assessment and comparison cannot dispense with some kind of legislative - as against merely optional or descriptive - motivation. Lack of conviction on this score creates impossible quandaries and dilemmas for earnest methodologists. In some ways, the problem with many current 'critical' perspectives on social knowledge making is that they are not (self-)critical enough, turning such no doubt valuable things as reflexivity and pluralism into sacred cows. In the paper, I try to puncture these aspects of post-positivist orthodoxy, and suggest that the rationale for engaging in theoretical activity in the social disciplines requires more basic elaboration than current methodologists offer
Conviction · Critical appraisal · Epistemology · Orthodoxy · Pluralism (philosophy · Political science · Positivism · Reflexivity · Scientism · Social science · Sociology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Critical Realism in Sociology · Pragmatism in Philosophy and Education · Law · Philosophy
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,17 |
| Citation span | 2002 - 2012 (11) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |