The problem of causality in Social Sciences: Boudon's decomposition pattern of proportions

Abstract

After locating some of the specific aspects of the problem of causality and explanation in social sciences, the authors try to analyse the meaning and certain results of the gap between the languages of theory and empirical research. On the 2^nd part they proceed to present a formal pattern proposed by Raymond Boudon as an adequate tool for the empirical analysis of causality. Finally, they attempt to prove through its systematic application that this pattern in comparison o the technique of «multivariate analysis», allouds a much higher degree of accuracy in the establishement of causal relations between variables.