Abstract

In this closely argued book, Paul Roth attempts to use some of Quine's philosophical insights to make a case for what he calls "methodological pluralism" in the social sciences. In doing so, he hopes to bring to an end what he terms "the Rationalitatstreit," or the dispute about rationality, which has dominated the philosophy of the social sciences since the demise of positivism. This dispute encompasses two separate but related debates. The first debate concerns the proper methodology for the social sciences. It has been focused on the degree to which the methodology of the social sciences should resemble that of the natural sciences. The second debate, which has its origins in Peter Winch's article, "Understanding Primitive Society," concerns the proper approach to understanding the alternative standards of rationality which other cultures seemingly present to us. It is Roth's belief that both these debates have suffered from an insufficient appreciation of Quine's epistemological insights.