 Epistemology of social sciencesNikos Nagopoulos Chapter 9 in Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 2026, pp 64-70 from Edward Elgar Publishing Abstract: Epistemology can be understood as a meta-theory of social sciences in the sense that it provides a framework for examining and understanding the nature, scope, and limitations of knowledge in the social sciences. Epistemology recognizes that scientific knowledge is cumulative and progressive and informs the methodology of the social sciences by providing principles and guidelines for conducting research. The relationship between epistemology and science is intricate and multifaceted. Epistemology is concerned with the nature, scope, and limits of knowledge, while science is a systematic and evidence-based approach to acquiring knowledge about the natural and social world. In this framework, epistemology provides a philosophical program for understanding how knowledge is acquired, justified, and validated, whereas science operates within this framework to generate empirical knowledge through observation, experimentation, and analysis. Epistemology investigates also how language is used to express and convey knowledge. It explores questions such as how language represents the world, how we gain knowledge through language, and how language can be used to justify beliefs. Keywords: Epistemology; Meta-theory; Sociology of knowledge; Linguistic turn (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:21471_9 Ordering information: This item can be ordered from Access Statistics for this chapter More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing |
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