Work

Social kinds: historical and multi-functional

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: The notion of multi-functional kind is introduced to explain how social scientists may be able to draw inferences across historically unrelated societies or cultures. Multi-functional kinds are neither eternal nor purely historical, support non-trivial inductive generalisations, and allow to overcome scepticism about the inductive potential of multiply realised (functional) properties. Two examples, from monetary economics and anthropology, provide support for a pluralistic ontology of the social world.

Source: European Journal for Philosophy of Science

DOI: 10.1007/s13194-023-00534-9

Author: Francesco Guala

Institution: University of Milan

Language: English

Topic: Philosophy and History of Science

Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,780

Funders: Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimenti di Eccellenza, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Università Bocconi