Author Description
Bhargava carefully disentangles the different forms of methodological individualism, and then identifies the key assumptions of its most plausible version that beliefs are attitudes individuated entirely in terms of what lies within the individual mind. He argues that once this assumption is challenged, it is possible to rehabilitate a non-individuated methodology that permits a contextual study of beliefs and desires and even a study of social context relatively independent of the beliefs and desires of individuals.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the validity and limitations of methodological individualism as a framework for understanding social phenomena. Rajeev Bhargava, drawing on his background in political philosophy, systematically deconstructs the core assumptions that define individualistic approaches in the social sciences. He challenges the premise that beliefs and desires are solely internal mental states, proposing instead a methodology that accounts for the influence of social context on individual cognition.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A critical analysis of various forms of methodological individualism.
- An examination of the relationship between individual mental states and social structures.
- A philosophical argument for a non-individuated methodology in social research.
- Theoretical frameworks for studying social context independent of individual belief systems.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars in the field of social theory frequently cite this monograph as a rigorous examination of the ontological foundations of social science research. Experts highlight the text for its analytical precision and its contribution to the ongoing debate regarding the role of the individual versus the collective in sociological inquiry.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
1992-08-06
Publisher:
Clarendon Press
ISBN-10:
0198242794
ISBN-13:
9780198242796
Philosophy
Political Theory
Individualism
Social Science
Methodology
Sociology
Community Tags
Similar Books
