Instrumentalism in the Social and Moral Sciences

Bibliographic Data

ID6445056
AuthorsMichael Moehler (0000-0003-3617-796X, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume55
Issue1
Pages61-74
Publication date2024-05-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhilosophy of the Social Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0048-3931 • E-ISSN: 1552-7441
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00483931241256019
OpenAlexW4398175214
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited23

This article responds to recent criticism regarding the application of consequentialism and rational choice theory in the social and moral sciences. It clarifies the limited scope of the presented criticism and its overly simplistic view of social scientific inquiry that, together, lead to the presentation of an argument that claims more than it warrants. Moreover, I argue that the criticism overlooks one of the most important uses of instrumentalism in moral theory that may be considered the most challenging case for the application of rational choice theory

Epistemology · Instrumentalism · Social science · Sociology · Musicology and Musical Analysis · Philosophy

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