The Uses and Misuses of Data and Models: The Mathematization of the Human Sciences [Paperback]

Undeniably, the amount of "information" in our culture has increased by leaps and bounds. At the same time, discussion of values, norms and purpose is often missing from the discourse of social research - especially by those who work within the positivist framework. The authors of this book develop principles to guide the use of data and models in the human sciences. Writing as scholars who are at home with empirical and mathematical social science, yet taking seriously the critiques of this heritage, they propose ways of developing norms without becoming subjective.

Undeniably, the amount of "information" in our culture has increased by leaps and bounds. At the same time, discussion of values, norms and purpose is often missing from the discourse of social research - especially by those who work within the positivist framework. The authors of this book develop principles to guide the use of data and models in the human sciences. Writing as scholars who are at home with empirical and mathematical social science, yet taking seriously the critiques of this heritage, they propose ways of developing norms without becoming subjective.

PART ONE: FOUNDATIONS
Oracles, Norms and Science
Modeling
Dreams and Disappointments
PART TWO: THE INFORMATION CYCLE
<i>A Priori</i> Influences on the Information Cycle
Measurement of Human Information
Limitations of Measurement in the Social Sciences
Information for Inferences
What <i>Are </i>Social Science Data?
Causality
Models and Policy Making