Felix Kaufmann's Theory and Method in the Social Sciences

This volume contains the English translation of Felix Kaufmann's (1895-1945) main work Methodenlehre der Sozialwissenschaften (1936). In this book, Kaufmann develops a general theory of knowledge of the social sciences in his role as a cross-border commuter between Husserl's phenomenology, Kelsen's pure theory of law and the logical positivism of the Vienna Circle. This multilayered inquiry connects the value-oriented reflections of a general philosophy of science with the specificity of the methods and theories of the social sciences, as opposed to abstract natural science and psychology. The core focus of the study is the attempt to elucidate how and under what conditions scientific knowledge about social facts, empirically justified and theoretically embedded, can be obtained. The empirical basis of knowledge within the social sciences forms a phenomenological concept of experience. According to Kaufmann, this concept of experience exhibits a complex structure. Within the meaning-interpretation of human action as the core of knowledge in the social sciences, this structure reaches out across the isolated act of verification toward the synthesis of external and internal experiences. The book opens with a detailed and useful introduction by Ingeborg K. Helling, which introduces the historical and theoretical background of Kaufmann's study and specifically illuminates his relation to Alfred Schütz and John Dewey. Finally, it contains interviews with and letters to members of his family, colleagues and students.

Contenu

Editorial Note.- Introductory Essay - Felix Kaufmann in Perspective; Ingeborg K. Helling.- Theory and Method in the Social Sciences; Felix Kaufmann.- Preface.- Introduction On the Problematic and Structure of the Book.- Part One Elements of the General Theory of Science.- 1. Basic Philosophical Considerations.- 2. Logical-mathematical Thought.- 3. Fact and Law.- 4. Life and Consciousness.- 5. The Concept of Value.- 6. Metaphysics and the Theory of Science.- 7. Proposal for a Universal Methodological Schema.- Part Two The Dispute over Method in the Social Sciences (Methodenstreit).- 1. The Social Sciences and the Natural Sciences.- 2. The Social Sciences and Psychology.- 3. Value Problem in the Social Sciences.- 4. The 'Historical' in the Social Sciences.- 5. Fundamental Concepts of the Social Sciences.- 6. Social Laws and Ideal Types.- 7. The Way to Overcome the Methodenstreit.- 8. Remarks on the Methodological Controversy [Methodenstreit] over the Theory of Marginal Utility.- 9. The Concept of Positive Law and the Pure Theory of Law.- Annotations.- Index of Names.- Editorial Note.- Introductory Essay Felix Kaufmann in Perspective; Ingeborg K. Helling.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Biographical Dates.- 3. Kaufmann's Milieus of Social Science in Vienna between the Wars.- 4. Kaufmann's Positions in Methodology.- 5. A Selection from Interviews and a letter on Kaufmann.- 6. Felix Kaufmann 'Der Nationalökonom im Paradies': a Poem with translation.- 7. Bibliography of Works Cited in the Introductory Essay Felix Kaufmann Theory and Method in the Social Sciences.- Preface.- Introduction On the Problematic and Structure of the Book.- Part One Elements of the General Theory of Science.- 1. Basic Philosophical Considerations.- 2. Logical-mathematical Thought.- 3. Fact and Law.- 4. Life and Consciousness.- 5. The Concept of Value.- 6. Metaphysics and the Theory of Science.- 7. Proposal for a Universal Methodological Schema.- Part Two The Dispute overMethod in the Social Sciences (Methodenstreit).- Preparatory Remarks.- 1. The Social Sciences and the Natural Sciences.- 2. The Social Sciences and Psychology.- 3. Value Problem in the Social Sciences.- 4. The 'Historical' in the Social Sciences.- 5. Fundamental Concepts of the Social Sciences.- 6. Social Laws and Ideal Types.- 7. The Way to Overcome the Methodenstreit.- 8. Remarks on the Methodological Controversy [Methodenstreit] over the Theory of Marginal Utility.- 9. The Concept of Positive Law and the Pure Theory of Law.- Annotations.- Index of Names.