Open questions in contemporary Soviet theory of social law

Abstract

The present paper gives an exposition of the Soviet discussion on the role of statistics in the knowledge of social phenomena and on the concept of social law as opposed to mere description by means of statistics. In the following critical evaluation of the Soviet arguments, the ‘open questions’ i.e. those treated by the Soviets in an unsatisfactory way, will be elaborated. Their philosophical discussion, which is still going on, began some years ago in connection with the application of statistical methods in investigating social affairs in the Soviet Union. This is of high interest, since empirical statements and their philosophical evaluation are directly confronted.