De theorie en methodologie van de problemen, toegelicht aan de hand van de theoretische problemen van de sociologie

TLDR: In this article, a formal-logical theory of problems is proposed that should help in formulating & handling scientific problems, which can be used to eliminate unscientific practices as well as to criticize the practices of a particular science at a particular time & place.

Abstract: The following schema relative to scientific discovery was proposed by K. R. Popper (Objective Knowledge, an Evolutionary Approach, London, 1972): problems generate scientific theories that attempt to solve them; theories give rise to experiments that falsify them; this in turn generates new problems, etc. They are investigated here from a critical standpoint. A formal-logical theory of problems is proposed that should help in formulating & handling scientific problems. Methodological rules, principles, & recommendations are derived from the theory, & illustrated by means of problems taken from the field of sociology. The theory of problems has a critical aspect as well as a constructive one. It can be used to eliminate unscientific practices as well as to criticize the practices of a particular science at a particular time & place. This is what should be done for the particular case of Dutch sociology today. One branch of it remains faithful to the old tradition of empirical research, & can be criticized for dealing with problems that are too fragmented, & for not paying enough attention to general theories that have a high information content. The other tendency is in the direction of a social philosophy, where rambling & the failure to define problems adequately seem to be prevalent. A. Orianne.