Updated on 2024/04/19

写真a

 
YOSHIDA, Kei
 
News & Topics
Affiliation
Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences
Job title
Professor
Degree
Ph.D. ( York University (Canada) )
Mail Address
メールアドレス
Homepage URL
https://sites.google.com/site/philsocsci2/
Profile

I resumed accepting graduate students from the academic year 2024, but what I do is to examine philosophical problems in the social sciences, not to do social scientific research, survey, and/or fieldwork. Students whose discipline and research interests differ from mine will not be accepted. If you are such a student, please refrain from contacting me. For details, please also read this (https://www.waseda.jp/fsss/gsss/en/applicants/research-areas/).

Research Experience

  • 2022.04
    -
    Now

    Waseda University   Faculty of Social Sciences   Professor

  • 2022.03
    -
    2024.03

    York University (Canada)   Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies   Visiting Scholar

  • 2017.04
    -
    2022.03

    Waseda University   Faculty of Social Sciences   Associate Professor

  • 2015.04
    -
    2017.03

    Waseda University   Faculty of Social Sciences   Assistant Professor

  • 2014.02
    -
    2015.03

    University of Tokyo   Integrated Human Sciences Program for Cultural Diversity (IHS)   Project Lecturer

  • 2011.04
    -
    2012.03

    University of Tokyo   Center for Philosophy   Project Lecturer

  • 2018.09
    -
    2019.01

    University of Tokyo   Integrated Human Sciences Program for Cultural Diversity (IHS)   Sessional Instructor

  • 2016.04
    -
    2018.03

    University of Tokyo   Integrated Human Sciences Program for Cultural Diversity (IHS)   Sessional Instructor

  • 2010.04
    -
    2015.03

    Tamagawa University   Department of Education   Sessional Instructor

  • 2012.04
    -
    2014.09

    Rikkyo University   Department of Education   Sessional Instructor

  • 2009.04
    -
    2014.09

    Tokyo Denki University   School of Engineering   Sessional Instructor

  • 2013.12
    -
    2014.02

    University of Tokyo   Integrated Human Sciences Program for Cultural Diversity (IHS)   Research Fellow

  • 2012.12
    -
    2013.03

    University of Tokyo   Department of Biomedical Ethics, Graduate School of Medicine   Research Fellow

  • 2011.02
    -
    2011.03

    University of South Florida   Department of Philosophy   Visiting Scholar

  • 2007.10
    -
    2011.03

    University of Tokyo   Center for Philosophy   Research Fellow

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Education Background

  • 1999.09
    -
    2005.08

    York University (Canada)   Graduate Program in Philosophy   Ph.D. Program  

  • 1997.04
    -
    1999.03

    Sophia University   Graduate School of Philosophy   Master's Program  

  • 1993.04
    -
    1997.03

    International Christian University   College of Liberal Arts   Division of Humanities  

  • 1999.04
    -
    2002.03

    Sophia University  

Committee Memberships

  • 2023.07
    -
    Now

    Philosophy of the Social Sciences (SAGE Publishing)  Managing Editor

  • 2020.09
    -
    Now

    Social Epistemology (Taylor & Francis)  Member of the Editorial Board

  • 2019.01
    -
    Now

    Philosophy of the Social Sciences (SAGE Publishing)  Editor

  • 2018.02
    -
    Now

    Asian Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences (ANPOSS)  Member of the Steering Committee

  • 2020.09
    -
    2021.03

    Asian Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, and Philosophy of Social Science Roundtable 2021 Joint Conference  Local Organizer (Chair: Professor Reiko Gotoh)

  • 2022.03
    -
    2022.04

    European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences (ENPOSS) 2022  Member of the Scientific Committee

  • 2020.03
    -
    2020.04

    European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences (ENPOSS) 2020  Member of the Scientific Committee

  • 2017.04
    -
    2020.03

    Japan Association for Philosophy of Science  Member of the Publicity and Program Organizing Committee

  • 2014.04
    -
    2017.03

    Japan Association for Philosophy of Science  Member of the Program Organizing Committee

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Professional Memberships

  • 　
    　
    　

    Sophia University Philosophical Association

  • 　
    　
    　

    The Japan Popper Society

  • 　
    　
    　

    Philosophical Association of Japan

  • 　
    　
    　

    Philosophy of Science Society, Japan

  • 　
    　
    　

    Japan Association for the Contemporary and Applied Philosophy

  • 　
    　
    　

    Japan Association for Philosophy of Science

  • 　
    　
    　

    Philosophy of Science Association

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Research Areas

  • Philosophy and ethics

Research Interests

  • Philosophy of the Social Sciences

  • Philosophy of Science

Awards

  • 紀伊國屋書店「紀伊國屋じんぶん大賞2022 読者と選ぶ人文書ベスト30」第27位入賞

    2021.12   『社会科学の哲学入門』

  • Waseda University WASEDA RESEARCH AWARD (High-Impact Publication)

    2016.11  

 

Papers

  • "Re-politicising philosophy of science: A continuing challenge for social epistemology"

    Kei Yoshida

    Social Epistemology   26 ( 3-4 ) 365 - 378  2012.12  [Invited]

    Authorship：Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author

    　View Summary

    The aim of this paper is to investigate how we can reunite social philosophy and philosophy of science to address problems in science and technology. First, referring to Don Howard's, George Reisch's, and Philip Mirowski's works, I shall briefly explain how philosophy of science was depoliticised during the cold war. Second, I shall examine Steve Fuller's criticism of Thomas Kuhn. Third, I shall scrutinise Philip Kitcher's view of well-ordered science. Fourth, I shall emphasise the importance of autonomy and argue that philosophy of science needs to cultivate a critical attitude towards authority. Fifth, drawing upon Ian Jarvie's social reading of Karl Popper, I shall argue that Popper's philosophy can be a model for reuniting social philosophy and philosophy of science.

    DOI

    Scopus

    3
    Citation
    (Scopus)

  • "Defending scientific study of the social - Against Clifford Geertz (and his critics)"

    Kei Yoshida

    Philosophy of the Social Sciences   37 ( 3 ) 289 - 314  2007.09  [Refereed]

    Authorship：Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author

    　View Summary

    This paper will defend scientific study of the social by scrutinizing Clifford Geertz's interpretive anthropology, and evolutionary psychologists' criticism of it. I shall critically examine Geertz's identification of anthropology with literary criticism, his assumption that a science of society is possible only on a positivist model, his view of the relation between culture and mind, and his anti anti-relativism. Then I shall discuss evolutionary psychologists' criticism of Geertz's view as an exemplar of the so-called "Standard Social Science Model." Finally, I shall claim that both Geertz and evolutionary psychologists misunderstand the aim of the social sciences, which is to explain the unintended consequences of human actions in institutional contexts.

    DOI

    Scopus

    10
    Citation
    (Scopus)

  • "What Are the Social Sciences? For Those Who Study at the School of Social Sciences"

    Kei Yoshida

    Waseda Studies in Social Sciences   19 ( 1 ) 69 - 82  2022.03

    Authorship：Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author

  • "Is 'epistemology naturalized' possible? A methodological criticism" (in Japanese)

    Kei Yoshida

    Tetsugaku-Ronshu (The Proceedings of the Philosophical Society, Sophia University)   ( 30 ) 83 - 103  2001.10  [Refereed]

    Authorship：Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author

    CiNii

  • "Irrational rationalism? A reply to Feyerabend" (in Japanese)

    Kei Yoshida

    Popper Letters   11 ( 1 ) 5 - 16  1999.06

    Authorship：Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author

Books and Other Publications

  • The Palgrave Handbook of Methodological Individualism ("Clarifying institutions in institutional individualism," vol. 1, pp. 457-484)

    Nathalie Bulle, Francesco Di Iorio, eds( Part： Contributor)

    Palgrave Macmillan  2023.12 ISBN: 9783031415111  [Refereed]

  • Special Issue: Selected Papers from the 2021 Joint Conference of the Asian Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, the European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, and the Philosophy of Social Science Roundtable, Hitotsubashi University, March 4–7, 2021. Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Volume 52, Issue 1–2

    Guest Editor, Reiko Gotoh, Kei Yoshida, Chor-yung Cheung, Francesco Di Iorio, Paul Dumouchel, Mark Tamthai, Alban Bouvier, Byron Kaldis, Eleonora Montuschi, Julie Zahle, Jes ́us Zamora-Bonilla, David Henderson, Kareem Khalifa, Mark Risjord, Paul Roth, Deborah Tollefsen, Stephen Turner( Part： Joint editor)

    SAGE Publishing  2022.03

  • Philosophy of the Social Sciences: An Introduction

    Kei Yoshida( Part： Sole author)

    Keiso Shobo  2021.08 ISBN: 9784326102969

    ASIN

  • Special Issue: Selected Papers from Asian Conference on the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Nankai University, 1-2 June, 2019, Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Volume 50, Issue 3

    Guest Editor, Chor-yung Cheung, Francesco Di Iorio, Paul Dumouchel, Reiko Gotoh, Mark Tamthai, Kei Yoshida( Part： Joint editor)

    SAGE Publishing  2020.06

  • Rationality and Cultural Interpretivism: A Critical Assessment of Failed Solutions

    Kei Yoshida( Part： Sole author)

    Lexington Books  2014.08 ISBN: 9780739173992  [Refereed]

  • Approaches to the Welfare Society: In Honor of Professor Junichi Hisatsuka's 70th Birthday ("On the reducibility of psychology: Taking a cue from the debate between Fodor and Kim," vol. 2, pp. 655–671)

    Hiroshi Osone, Shinjiro Morita, Megumi Kanagawa, Hirofumi Konishi, eds( Part： Contributor)

    Seibundoh  2019.05 ISBN: 9784792333874

  • The Impact of Critical Rationalism: Expanding the Popperian Legacy through the Works of Ian C. Jarvie ("Jarvie on rationality and cultural relativism," pp. 145–158)

    Raphael Sassower, Nathaniel Laor, eds( Part： Contributor)

    Palgrave Macmillan  2018.07 ISBN: 9783319908250

  • The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory ("Philosophy of social sciences," pp. 1737–1742)

    Bryan S. Turner, Chang Kyung-Sup, Cynthia Epstein, Peter Kivisto, William Outhwaite, J. Michael, Ryan, eds( Part： Contributor)

    Wiley-Blackwell  2017.11 ISBN: 9781118430866

  • Moral Psychology: Ethics Investigated from the Mind and Behavior ("Overcoming cultural relativism: With a reference to the debate about a distinction between moral and conventional rules," pp. 413–439; in Japanese)

    Koji Ota, ed( Part： Joint author)

    Shunjusha  2016.05 ISBN: 9784393323656

  • Does Economics Need the Brain and the Mind? ("What kind of relationship does economics have with neuroscience? A perspective from the philosophy of science," pp. 85–104; in Japanese)

    Toshiji Kawagoe( Part： Joint author)

    Kawade Shobo Shinsha  2013.06 ISBN: 9784309246215

  • Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Social Sciences ("Neuroeconomics," pp. 662–663)

    Byron Kaldis, ed( Part： Contributor)

    SAGE  2013.05 ISBN: 9781412986892

  • Proceedings of the CAPE International Workshops, 2012 ("Andrews on the social intelligence hypothesis," pp. 172–176)

    Hisashi Nakao, e( Part： Contributor)

    Kyoto: Center for Applied Philosophy and Ethics, Kyoto University  2013.02

  • ［翻訳］『科学・技術・倫理百科事典』（「科学的倫理（学）」（336–341頁）、「社会工学」（968–971頁）、「新自由主義」（1142–1145頁）、「定性的研究」（1505–1506頁）、「テクノエシックス」（1517頁）、「予測」（2272–2275頁）担当）

    カール・ミッチャム編, 科学, 技術, 倫理百科事典翻訳編集委員会監訳( Part： Joint translator)

    丸善出版  2012.01 ISBN: 9784621083871

  • Ethics and Society in the Age of Neuroscience (UTCP Booklet 15) ("A neuroeconomic approach to pathological gambling," pp. 87–107; in Japanese)

    UTCP Program in, Brain Sciences, Ethics, ed( Part： Joint author)

    University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy  2010.03

  • Enhancement, Society, Humanity (UTCP Booklet 8) ("Cognitive enhancement and fairness," pp. 25–37; in Japanese)

    ( Part： Joint author)

    University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy  2009.03

  • Utopia: Here and There (UTCP Booklet 4) ("Comparing and explaining different cultures: The case of Captain Cook," pp. 53–64)

    ( Part： Joint author)

    University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy  2008.09

  • Science, vol. 3 of Karl Popper: A Centenary Assessment ("Rationality and other cultures," pp. 251–260)

    Ian C. Jarvie, Karl Milford, David Miller, eds( Part： Contributor)

    Ashgate  2006.12 ISBN: 9780754657125

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Presentations

  • "Rationality and social institutions"

     [Invited]

    Rationality in the Transnational World: New Perspectives (10th Birthday Conference of the Collegium, Institute of Advanced Studies of Lyon)  (Collegium, Institute of Advanced Studies of Lyon, France) 

    Presentation date： 2019.04

  • "Beyond naturalism and interpretivism"

     [Invited]

    Shanxi University Workshop on the Developmental Trend of the Philosophy of Social Sciences  (Shanxi University, China) 

    Presentation date： 2018.03

  • "Between Scylla and Charybdis: Investigating a possibility of the social sciences"

    7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Philosophy of Science  (National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan) 

    Presentation date： 2017.12

  • "A possibility of institutional individualism"

    2016 Philosophy of Social Science Roundtable  (University of South Florida, United States) 

    Presentation date： 2016.03

  • "An institutional turn of methodological individualism" (in Japanese)

    Japan Public Choice Society  (Meikai University, Chiba, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2015.11

  • オーガナイザ兼コメンテイタ

    「社会科学における因果とメカニズム」、科学基礎論学会  (北海道教育大学札幌校) 

    Presentation date： 2015.06

  • "What is so wrong with cultural interpretivism?" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    3rd Hitotsubashi Seminar on Philosophy and Social Thought  (Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2014.12

  • "Overcoming cultural relativism: From a debate on the moral/conventional distinction" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    Nagoya Philosophy Forum  (Nanzan University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2014.09

  • "A skeptical commentary on Tamler Sommers's metaskepticism"

     [Invited]

    Kyoto Moral Psychology Workshop  (Kyoto University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2014.07

  • "Considering a future of philosophy of the social sciences" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    Workshop on the Future of Philosophy of the Social Sciences and Engineering, Japan Association for Philosophy of Science  (Keio University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2014.06

  • "Andrews on the social intelligence hypothesis"

     [Invited]

    CAPE Philosophy of Animal Minds Workshop, Center for Applied Philosophy and Ethics  (Kyoto University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2013.01

  • "The naturalization of economics: Its scope and limits" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    Symposium on Considering the Naturalization of Economics  (Chuo University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2012.11

  • "Homo economicus and neuroeconomics: Between reason and emotions" (in Japanese)

    Extra Meeting, Japanese Association for the Contemporary and Applied Philosophy  (Kyoto University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2011.09

  • "Homo economicus and neuroeconomics: Between reason and emotions"

     [Invited]

    1st East Asian Philosophy of Science Workshop  (Hanyang University, South Korea) 

    Presentation date： 2011.07

  • "How is social science possible after neuroscience?"

    35th Annual Meeting of Society for Social Studies of Science  (University of Tokyo, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2010.08

  • Discussant, "Thomas Kuhn, Knowledge Management, and The Intellectual: A Fuller STS?"

    35th Annual Meeting of Society for Social Studies of Science  (University of Tokyo, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2010.08

  • "From 'Brain Sciences and Ethics' to 'Society, Technology, and Society': UTCP's new attempt" (in Japanese)

    Technology Assessment Seminar  (University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2010.05

  • "Fuller on intellectuals" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    Review Symposium on Steve Fuller, STS Network Japan, Japan  (Tokyo Institute of Techonology, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2010.03

  • "A neuroeconomic approach to pathological gambling"

    Brain Science and Ethics Workshop  (Howard Florey Institutes, Australia) 

    Presentation date： 2010.03

  • "Neuroeconomics viewed from philosophy of the social sciences" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    Virtual Center for Advanced Studies in Institution, Tokyo Foundation  (Tokyo Foundation, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2009.12

  • "Addictive gambling as a neuroeconomic problem" (in Japanese)

    Philosophy of Science Society, Japan  (Takachiho University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2009.11

  • "The missing link between evolution and human morality"

    UTCP Seminar Series: Neil Levy  (University of Tokyo, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2009.07

  • "Altruism, trust, strong reciprocity: Lessons from neuroeconomics to philosophy of the social sciences"

    2009 Philosophy of Social Science Roundtable  (Emory University, United States) 

    Presentation date： 2009.03

  • コメンテイタ

    UTCPセミナー「集合知、あるいは、新自由主義の文化的論理——Wikipediaにみる社会知の変容とネットワーク社会としての日本社会」  (東京大学UTCP) 

    Presentation date： 2008.12

  • 内容紹介（第9章）

    『脳神経倫理学の展望』合評会  (東京大学UTCP) 

    Presentation date： 2008.09

  • 特定質問

    シンポジウム「エンハンスメントの哲学と倫理——脳神経科学と人類の未来のあり方を問う」  (東京大学UTCP) 

    Presentation date： 2008.08

  • "Moral relativism, tolerance, fallibilism: A problem with Jesse J. Prinz"

    UTCP Lecture Series: Jesse J. Prinz  (University of Tokyo, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2008.07

  • "Comparing and explaining different cultures: The case of Captain James Cook"

    Age of Comparison?  (New York University, United States) 

    Presentation date： 2008.03

  • "Altruistic behavior: Lessons from neuroeconomics"

    UTCP Seminar Series: Thomas Metzinger with Stephan Schleim  (University of Tokyo, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2008.02

  • "Sociology as a political project: Fuller, bioliberalism, value-freedom" (in Japanese)

    Philosophy of Science Society, Japan  (Chuo University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2007.11

  • "Defending scientific study of the social: On Geertz's interpretive anthropology and evolutionary psychologists' criticism of it" (in Japanese)

     [Invited]

    Society for Meta-theoretical Studies of Mind Science  (Meiji University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2007.07

  • "Democracy and philosophy of science: Mirowski's challenge" (in Japanese)

    Philosophy of Science Society, Japan  (Hokkaido University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2006.10

  • "Philosophy of the social sciences today" (in Japanese)

    Graduate School of Philosophy, Sophia University, Japan  (Sophia University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 2005.12

  • "Rationality and relativism: The case of Sahlins vs. Obeyesekere"

    Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science  (University of Western Ontario, Canada) 

    Presentation date： 2005.05

  • "Problems with interpretivism: Problems, aims, and methods in the philosophy of the social sciences"

    Philosophy: Problems, Aims, Responsibilities  (University of Warwick, United Kingdom) 

    Presentation date： 2004.09

  • "Interpretive anthropology, anti anti-relativism, and the SSSM: A plague on both houses"

    The Sciences and Humanities in a Changing World, 1st Interdisciplinary Graduate School and Seminar  (Lund University, Sweden) 

    Presentation date： 2004.06

  • "Democracy in science: Or science in democracy"

    The Republic of Science: A Conference in Honor of Ian Jarvie  (York University, Canada) 

    Presentation date： 2003.12

  • "Rationality and other cultures"

    Karl Popper 2002: Centenary Congress  (University of Vienna, Austria) 

    Presentation date： 2002.07

  • "A defense of falsificationism" (in Japanese)

    Sophia University Philosophical Association, Japan  (Sophia University, Japan) 

    Presentation date： 1998.10

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Misc

  • Review essay: Sociology as a political project: Fuller's argument against bioliberalism

    Kei Yoshida

    Philosophy of the Social Sciences   39 ( 1 ) 99 - 106  2009.03  [Invited]

    Authorship：Corresponding author

    Book review, literature introduction, etc.  

    　View Summary

    In his book, The New Sociological Imagination, Steve Fuller criticizes what he calls gbioliberalism.g According to him, the social sciences are challenged on two sides: humanistic and biological. In particular, Fuller finds the biological challenge serious. Fuller tries to reinvent sociology as a socialist project to counterattack bioliberalism as the biggest threat to the social sciences. First, the author will examine Fuller's argument against bioliberalism, referring to the so-called gliberal eugenics.g Then the author will criticize him. By reinventing sociology as a socialist project, Fuller seems to ignore the relation between value-freedom and education. One of the reasons Max Weber argued for value-freedom was to prevent sociology teachers from imposing their particular views on their students. We must consider this problem of teaching undergraduates sociology and other subjects in a better way if we are to have better social institutions. © 2009 Sage Publications.

    DOI

  • [Report] "The current state of philosophy of the social sciences" (in Japanese)

    Kei Yoshida

    Newsletter of the Philosophy of Science Society, Japan   ( 40 ) 3 - 5  2008  [Invited]

    Authorship：Corresponding author

  • Book Review: Naturalistic hermeneutics

    Kei Yoshida

    Philosophy of the Social Sciences   37 ( 1 ) 108 - 112  2007.03  [Invited]

    Authorship：Corresponding author

    Book review, literature introduction, etc.  

    DOI

  • ［翻訳］「政治的寛容の二つの概念」

    ジャグディッシュ・ハティアンガディ(吉田 敬訳)

    『ポパーレター』（日本ポパー哲学研究会）   12 ( 2 ) 43 - 60  2000.12

    Other  

  • [Reply] "My paper reconsidered: A reply to Professor Tachibana" (in Japanese)

    Kei Yoshida

    Popper Letters   12 ( 1 ) 43 - 44  2000.06

    Authorship：Corresponding author

 

Syllabus

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Overseas Activities

  • 方法論的個人主義における社会制度

    2022.03
    -
    2024.03

    カナダ   ヨーク大学

Sub-affiliation

  • Faculty of Social Sciences   Graduate School of Social Sciences

Internal Special Research Projects

  • 社会科学の還元可能性――生物学との関係を中心に

    2020  

    　View Summary

    　本年度は、社会科学を生物学に還元しようとする還元主義について考察すると共に、ハロルド・キンケイドの非還元主義擁護論を検討した。キンケイドは還元主義を退けるにあたって、次の三つの理由を挙げた。第一に、社会科学において用いられている社会的な術語は、多重実現可能であること。第二に、個人の行為は文脈に応じて記述されるけれども、その記述は社会制度について言及しているため、個人の行為だけでは不十分であること。最後に、個人の行為を記述するために使われる文脈自体も社会制度の存在を前提とすること。キンケイドの立場は集団主義を全面的に擁護するものではなく、社会レベルの説明と個人レベルの説明を組み合わせたハイブリッドなものであることが判明した。

  • 社会科学の還元可能性

    2019  

    　View Summary

    　本年度は、社会科学の還元可能性を検討するにあたって、ジェリー・フォーダーとジェグォン・キムによる、心理学の還元可能性に関する論争を出発点とした。この論争における重要な概念が多重実現可能性である。これはある心的状態を物理的状態に還元しようとしても、その心的状態を実現するような物理的状態は複数存在しうることを意味するものである。社会科学の哲学においても多重実現可能性の応用可能性が検討されている。本年度は多重実現可能性を軸に、キース・ソーヤーの社会法則擁護論、社会生物学や進化心理学の還元主義的研究プログラム、そして、アレクサンダー・ローゼンバーグの社会科学無効論を検討した。

  • 制度論的個人主義の社会科学への応用に関する哲学的考察

    2016  

    　View Summary

    　本年度は制度論的個人主義を社会科学に応用するにあたって、合理的経済人の仮定をめぐる最近の論争について検討を行った。この仮定に代わるものとして、ハーバート・サイモンは限定合理性という概念を提案した。近年ではサイモンの批判を引き継ぐ形で、実験経済学や行動経済学においても合理的経済人の問題点が指摘されている。このような研究を踏まえて、最近ではハーバート・ギンタスたちによって、強い互恵性という新しい概念が提唱されている。しかし、この概念には様々な疑問や批判が寄せられており、制度論的個人主義と関連づけるにはさらなる考察が必要である。

  • 個別科学の哲学と一般科学哲学の総合による俯瞰的科学哲学の構築

    2015  

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    本年度は俯瞰的科学哲学の構築を目指すにあたって、特に個別社会科学の関係性について検討を行った。その際に重要な概念として制度に注目し、新制度派経済学の影響を受けたアセモグルとロビンソンによる制度論について考察した。包括的制度と収奪的制度に関する彼らの議論はポパーが提示した、開かれた社会と閉ざされた社会の違いに通ずるところがある。そのような観点から考えてみると、ポパーの立場はアセモグルとロビンソンの立場と補完的な関係にあると捉えることができる。このような制度論的議論を他の社会科学や自然科学と比較検討し、俯瞰的な視座を得ることが今後の重要な課題である。

  • 社会科学における実証主義に関する哲学的考察

    2015  

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    本年度は社会科学における実証主義を考察するにあたって、オーギュスト・コントの実証哲学とウィーン学団の論理実証主義に注目した。 どちらの立場も社会科学を自然科学に還元しようとするものでは必ずしもない。しかし社会科学と自然科学の間に大きな違いを認めず、自然科学を模範に社会科学を考えていることは共通している。これに対して、いわゆる解釈主義と呼ばれる立場は社会科学と自然科学との間に大きな違いがあることを強調している。この背景には自然や社会とはどのようなものなのかという形而上学的問題が潜んでおり、特に社会とはいかなるものなのかを検討することが社会科学のあり方を考える上で今後の重要な課題である。