Presupposition in the Social Sciences

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The social sciences at present are suffering from methodological confusion. Much of what passes for social science is social philosophy. On the other hand, the mere accumulation of facts does not lead to understanding. The awareness of the point of view of the scientist, which underlies the interpretation of his findings, is one of the most significant methodological tasks. The extent to which the presuppositions of the scientist influence his conceptions of facts and determine his conclusions is illustrated in the case of "scientific socialism." Social and political doctrines aim at action, while the corresponding scientific theories aim at knowledge. The question of evaluation is, therefore, the central one in scientific method in the social sciences. The intellectual atmosphere in which the scientist works must be known before his conclusions and his method can be accepted or even criticized. It is no longer a question of whether or not the scientist is objective, but rather what his peculiar cultural perspective is. The relative nature of truth looms hus as the orienting principle of science. Spranger has shown that it is the common elements in different universes of discourse that form the unifying bond in what otherwise would be an anarchy of scientific viewpoints. Objectivity in scientific investigation must rest, therefore, upon frank recognition of the investigator's own point of view. A critical attitude toward the ascertainable presuppositions is the best method for keeping science free from dogma.