Measuring the intentional world : realism, naturalism, and quantitative methods in the behavioral sciences / J.D. Trout.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Trout, J. D.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Psychology--Statistical methods.

Psychology.

Realism.

Social sciences--Statistical methods.

Social sciences.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (302 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, 1998.

Summary:

Scientific realism has been advanced as an interpretation of the natural sciences but never the behavioral sciences. This book introduces a different version of scientific realism that characterizes the kind of theoretical progress in the social and psychological sciences that is uneven but indisputable.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

ONE: Introduction: Realism and Naturalism in the Philosophy of Science

The Background

Empiricist Analysis of the Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Move toward Holism and Naturalism

A Survey of Sciences Worthy of the Name

Abduction and Naturalistic Scientific Realism

PART I: Scientific Realism: Minimal, Robust, and Measured

TWO: Measurement as Population-Guided Estimation

Introducing Population-Guided Estimation

What Is Measurement?

Measurement Theory

Philosophical Theories of Measurement

Task and Quantitative Method in the Behavioral and Social Sciences

Sketching the Realist Theory of Measurement

Adipose Theory and Epistemically Bite-Sized Commitment

Old Empiricist Accounts of Behavioral Measurement

Components of a (Naturalistic) Epistemology of Measurement

Causal Direction in Measurement

Conclusion: Theory, Law, and Measurement

THREE: Realism: Minimal and Robust

PGE and Statistical Measurement

Austere Realism: Dispositional Structures in Statistical Practice

Explanation and Irreducible Facts

Manipulability and Entity Realism

Premature Reports of Realism's Death

Abduction, Realism, and General Form

No-Miracles Arguments for Scientific Realism

Confirmation Theory and Intolerance of Miracles

Conclusion: The Role of Independence in No-Miracles Arguments

FOUR: Measured Realism

Finding the "Right" Test of Measured Realism

The Shape of Measured Realism

Independence and Idealized Philosophical Talk about Theories

Imperfect Isolation and Imperfect Integration: The Independence of Lawful Generalizations

One Model of Independence: Mercenary Reliance

The Constructive Empiricist "Rational Reconstruction" of Theory Conjunction

Mercenary Reliance in Theory Conjunction

Motivating Epistemic Symmetry.

Scientific Realism and the Principle of Epistemic Symmetry

Entity Realism Is Not Enough, and Robust Realism Is Too Much

Conclusion: Integration, Independence, and Progress by Association

PART II: Epistemological Naturalism and the Measurement of Intention

FIVE: Statistical Designs as Instruments

Epistemically Bite-Sized Theoretical Factors

Operationalism and Instruments of Measurement

Statistical Designs as Instruments

Manipulation by Law

A Statistical Instrument in Action: Numerical Reflections of Psychological Magnitudes

Empiricist Alternatives to Operationalism

Conclusion

SIX: Statistical Testing and the World's Contribution to Rationality

Introduction: Robustness and Significance Testing

The Charge that Significance Tests in Psychology Are Unintelligible

The Development of Corrective Meta-Analytic Techniques

The Robustness of Psychological Phenomena

Submission and Editorial Biases

The Worldly Regulation of Method

SEVEN: Diverse Tests on an Independent World

Motivating Idle Possibilities

Philosophical Analysis and Scientific Method

Demon Criticism: Error Due to Chance Factors

Diverse Testing and the Threat of Pseudo-robustness

Bias-Correcting Techniques

Worldly Conspiracies and Predicting the Future History of Science

Theoretical Integration as Triangulation

Morals of Naturalism

EIGHT: Failed Attempts: The Frailties of Narrative Methods

Criticizing Narrative Methods: Preliminary Qualifications

The Profile of Narrative Methods

Biases of Narration and Chronicler Sensitivity

Offending Styles of Narrative Explanation

Prescribing the Antidote: Listening to Measured Realism and PGE

NINE: Conclusion

References

Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Z.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-278) and index.

Description based on metadata supplied by the publisher and other sources.

ISBN:

1-282-26800-7

9786612268007

0-19-802670-6

OCLC:

45733699