Publisher Description

There are sharp differences among psychologists, sociologists, philosophers and others concerned with the behavioural and social sciences, not simply about the adequacy of particular explanatory systems, but about the very forms of explanation appropriate in this field. The editors have therefore invited a number of distinguished contributors to bring their views into direct confrontation - each chapter takes the form of an exposition, a comment and a final reply by the first author. This volume was first published in 1970.

Table of Contents

Editor's Preface; Notes on contributors; 1. Reasons and Causes Stephen Toulmin; Comment R. S. Peters; Reply Stephen Toulmin; 2. The explanation of purposive behaviour Charles Taylor; Comment Robert Borger; Reply Charles Taylor; 3. Is the brain a physical system? N. S. Sutherland; Comment J. H. Grundy; Comment N. S. Sutherland; 4. Conditioning and behaviour D. W. Hamlyn; Comment A. J. Watson; Reply D. W. Hamlyn; 5. Imperfect rationality John Watkins; Comment Alan Donagan; Reply John Watkins; 6. Understanding and explanation in sociology and social anthropology I. C. Jarvie; Comment Peter Winch; Reply I. C. Jarvie; 7. Situational individualism and the emergent group-properties J. O. Wisdom; Comment Robert Brown; Reply J. O. Wisdom; 8. The relevance of psychology to the explanation of social phenomena George C. Homans; Comment Peter M. Blau; Reply George C. Homans; 9. The Skinnerian analysis of behaviour R. A. Boakes and M. S. Halliday; Comment Karl H. Pribram; Reply R. A. Boakes and M. S. Halliday; 10. Explanation and the concept of personality H. J. Eysenck; Comment D. Bannister; Reply H. J. Eysenck; 11. Problems of explanation in linguistics Noam Chomsky; Comment Max Black; Reply Noam Chomsky; 12. Freud and the idea of a pseudo-science Frank Cioffi; Comment B. A. Farrell; Reply Frank Cioffi; Index.

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A confrontation of views written by distinguished figures concerned with the behavioural and social sciences.

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A confrontation of views written by distinguished figures concerned with the behavioural and social sciences.

Description for Bookstore

There are sharp differences among psychologists, sociologists, philosophers and others concerned with the behavioural and social sciences, not simply about the adequacy of particular explanatory systems, but about the very forms of explanation appropriate in this field. The editors have therefore invited a number of distinguished contributors to bring their views into direct confrontation.

Description for Library

There are sharp differences among psychologists, sociologists, philosophers and others concerned with the behavioural and social sciences, not simply about the adequacy of particular explanatory systems, but about the very forms of explanation appropriate in this field. The editors have therefore invited a number of distinguished contributors to bring their views into direct confrontation.

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