Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Philosophy · 3 hrs Lecture
Offered: Fall Or Winter
No prerequisites listed, you can take this course without prior coursework.
Where PHIL-2252 counts
Counts toward 8 more as one option among several, not as a course you must take:
- CRS 3-YEAR BA IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION STUDIES
- CRS 4-YEAR BA IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION STUDIES
- DEV 3-YEAR BA IN DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES (STREAM A: INDIVIDUAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT)
- PHIL 3-YEAR BA IN PHILOSOPHY
- PHIL 4-YEAR BA IN PHILOSOPHY
- PHIL 4-YEAR BA IN PHILOSOPHY (STUDENT DIRECTED STREAM)
- PHIL HONOURS BA IN PHILOSOPHY
- PHIL HONOURS BA IN PHILOSOPHY (STUDENT DIRECTED HONOURS PROGRAM)
Read from the departments' own calendar pages, where 50 of 208 programs are only partly machine-readable, so treat these as a minimum rather than the full list. Confirm with an academic advisor.
Description
The course will be concerned with understanding the social sciences and psychology, with special emphasis on methodological issues. Possible topics are the following: theory construction in the human sciences, the influences of ideologies upon the methods and findings of these disciplines, the problem of objectivity, types of explanation, and the relation between explaining, predicting, and engineering human behaviour. Is it reasonable to look for laws of human behaviour on the basis of which we can engage in utopian social planning?
From the 2026-27 undergraduate calendar. Always verify details on WebAdvisor or with an academic advisor before registering.