Abstract

BETANCUR, Marta Cecilia. The need of generality in Social Sciences. Prax. filos. [online]. 2008, n.27, pp.195-222. ISSN 0120-4688.

This paper tries to perform the debate regarding two positions in social sciences: a reduccionist position that states that if a discipline is scientific must follow the natural sciences model, wherefore social sciences would not achieve this status because they cannot get the universality that natural sciences achieve. In contrast to it, but without the appropriate discussion about this model, a relativist position that considers that sure enough the knowledge they get is only particular and relative to each culture, has been generated in these sciences. This position has been developed, in part, following the interpretation performed about the hermeneutic circle by Martin Hollis. In discussion with these conceptions, the paper states that it is possible to achieve a generality in social sciences and that, against the tendency of choosing between the universality of natural sciences and the particularity of the social ones, it is necessary to accept different generality levels. Finally, with Ricoeur´s help, the way in which it is possible to understand this generality sense is exposed.

Keywords : social sciences; generality; relativism; certainty; verisimilitude; paradigms; objectivity.

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