[lbo-talk] An Appeal to Ignorance

[Michael Hoover]

>>> cbcox at ilstu.edu 06/16/05 2:37 PM >>>
I keep trying to reduce the triad of divisions (natural science, social science, humanities) to a duality: natural science and [I don't have a label: "History" is misleading because, e.g., geology and biology both have large historical elements, but it is the best I can come up with for a label.] Try "systematic study of human activity," which would include what we call "social science" and "humanities." It seems to me that the division in to sociology, polisci, and econ is really arbitrary, and in fact is an artifact of specifically capitalist social relations.
Carrol
<<<<<>>>>>

first titled u.s. poli sci chair was at columbia in 1850s, called history and political science, relationship/linakge retained until end of 19th century, political scientists at that time pursued systematic/analytical study of historical events/facts as means of "discovering"/verifying political generalizations/principles... 

first organization of academic historians - american historical assn - established in 1880s included poli sci people, latter did not form their own group until after turn-of-20th century (american political science assn (apsa), in 1903, to be exact), separation between two followed, poli sci folks began to think in terms of modeling their 'field' after natural sciences, then - in 1950s - 'behavioral revolution would result in u.s. poli sci being dominated by quantitative methods...   michael hoover

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