A Natural Science of Society

The Problem; the Theses To Be Maintained;
the Nature of Science 3
The Relation of Theory to Practice,
of Theoretical Science to Practical Science,
and of Science to Philosophy 8
Fundamental Postulates of Science 12
THE NATURE OF REALITY
NATURAL LAWS
THE NOTION OF CLASSIFICATION
AND OF A NATURAL KIND
NATURAL SYSTEMS
THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN
"CLASS" AND "SYSTEM"
The Division of the Sciences on the Basis
of the Systems They Investigate 23
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
PERSISTENT SYSTEMS
THE OBSERVABILITY OF SYSTEMS
The Method of Science 28
CONCEPTS FORMULATED FOR ANALYSIS,
AND ABSTRACTION
TAXONOMY
ANALYSIS OF SYSTEMS
THE NOTION OF PROBABILITY
CAUSALITY
A Social System Is a Natural Persistent System
. THE SOCIAL SYSTEM
SOCIAL SCIENCE VS. PSYCHOLOGY
HOW PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY MAY COME
TOGETHER: AN INTERMEDIATE SCIENCE
TYPES OF RELATIONS IN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM
SOCIETY AS A POSSIBLE SYSTEM
THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE
A Society as a Social System
Resume
Contents
43
59
63
Fart II
The Method of a Social Science 69
RELATIONAL MATHEMATICS
WILL ULTIMATELY BE REQUIRED
SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION VS.
SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS
THE PROBLEM OF TYPING SOCIETIES
COMPARISON FOR THE PURPOSE
OF ARRIVING AT GENERALIZATIONS
THE PROBLEM OF HOW SOCIAL SYSTEMS PERSIST
THE PROBLEM OF HOW SOCIETIES
CHANGE THEIR TYPE
THE SECOND VS. THE THIRD TYPE OF PROBLEMS
(SYNCHRONIC VS. DIACHRONIC PROBLEMS)
The Nature of the Social System Elaborated 90
SOCIAL COAPTATION
CULTURE
THE RELATION OF CULTURE TO SOCIETY
NO SCIENCE OF CULTURE IS POSSIBLE
Contents
There Can Be Only One Social Science
ECONOMICS CANNOT BE A
SEPARATE THEORETIC SCIENCE
COMPARATIVE EPISTEMOLOGY CANNOT BE
A SEPARATE THEORETIC SCIENCE
The Functional Consistency of the Social System
Structural Principles of the Social System
ABSTRACTION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE
THE ABSTRACT STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLE OF JUSTICE
Summary
110
124
129
141
Appendix
Systematic Social Science 151