Scientism and social science are distinct, and pragmatism extends scientific inquiry’s ethic

Evidence

But scientistic philosophy-the attempt to construct a metaphysics, a theory of action, an ethical theory, a political theory or what have you that has the rigor and generality that we associate with the natural sciences-is not at all the same thing as social science, which is the application of scientific method to social behavior. Most pragmatists have not disbelieved in the utility of scientific method. Quite the contrary, pragmatism in the style of Peirce and Dewey can be viewed as a generalization of the ethic of scientific inquiry—open-minded, forward-looking, respectful of fact, willing to experiment, disrespectful of sacred cows, anti-metaphysical. And this is an ethic of which law needs more. — Richard A. Posner, What Has Pragmatism to Offer Law?, 133

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies the key distinction between scientistic philosophy and social science, and reframes pragmatism as a generalization of the scientific ethic.
• XREF: Connects to Posner’s broader economic-pragmatist synthesis project and to Dewey’s/Peirce’s formulations of scientific inquiry. — connects to: Social science interprets the interpretations that culture makes of life — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 250; Dewey viewed inquiry as organism-environment mutual adjustment — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2928; Knowledge lives in conversation, with science as one valued strand — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 368 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Dewey viewed inquiry as organism-environment mutual adjustment #expands (0.55) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2928
• Ideas and practical life mutually influence each other in a reciprocal interaction #expands (0.55) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2169
• Social science interprets the interpretations that culture makes of life #expands (0.50) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 250
• Knowledge lives in conversation, with science as one valued strand #corroborates (0.50) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 368