Theory and empiric research in social science

Abstract

In the first part of this text, the authors try to state, under a generic form, the conditions and problems of empiric research in social science. For that purpose they suggest a classification and analysis of the main means of theoretical work and forms of epistemological and methodological caution that are practised on them, also emphasizing, under several pretexts, the leading role of theory in processes of producing concrete knowledge. Adopting a clearly anti-empirical perspective, the authors then try to analyse systematically some questions that, as far as the empirical research «vocabulary» is concerned, traditionally belong to the sociological methodology domain: the measure question, closely attached to that of the respective scales and that of the statute of the research variables; the question of the hiatus between the «languages» of empirical theory and analysis; and lastly the question of stating propositions. The permanent resort to examplifications and the working out of detailed glossaries and thematic bibliographies intend, on the other hand, to grant an openly didactic character to the whole text.