Philosophy of Social Science

Nancy Cartwright is Professor of Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, University of Durham and at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Her research interests include philosophy and history of science (especially physics and economics), causal inference, objectivity, and evidence, especially on evidence-based policy.Eleonora Montuschi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage at the University of Venice, and Senior Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a philosopher of science working on scientific objectivity, the theory and practice of evidence, and methodological issues of the social sciences.

• PART I. CURRENT DEBATES; PART II. ONTOLOGICAL ISSUES; PART III. QUESTIONS ABOUT OBJECTIVITY; PART IV. USING FORMAL MODELS; PART V. METHODOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES; PART VI. RESEARCH METHODS

...the book showcases contributions by experts who provide an introduction to their area of competence with an accessible and fresh style. The result is sixteen chapters about debates of major concern to the philosophers of social science, which, while providing some background knowledge of the specific subject, often do so by giving it a novel or original twist. Overall, the style and structure of the book seem designed more to raise the curiosity of those new to the field than to systematically inform about the current state of affairs in the philosophy of the social sciences. In so doing, the book distances itself to some extent from other similar manuals, aspires to interest a broad and diverse audience, and qualifies as a good teaching resource.