This volume is a critical introduction to the debate concerning the conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics and the problems it has posed for physicists and philosophers from Einstein to the present. Quantum theory has been a major influence on postmodernism, and presents significant problems for realists. The author subjects a wide range of key opponents and supporters of realism to a high and equal level of scrutiny,

There are continuing difficulties within social science surrounding concepts of race. This book suggests that these difficulties stem from the uncertain ontological and epistemological status of ideas about race, itself a consequence of the recognition that concepts of race have all but lost their relevance as sociologically significant descriptions.
This book surveys ways in which social scientists have attempted to come to terms with this situation, before developing an alternative approach based on recent work by realist authors. This approach offers a radical revision of orthodox...

This critique focuses on assumptions which are the bedrock of rational choice. The theory's definition of rationality is incomplete, and cannot satisfactorily incorporate norms and emotions. Rational choice is based upon atomistic, individual decision makers and cannot account for decisions made by couples, groups or other forms of collective action process. The assumption of fixed, well-ordered preferences and perfect information makes the theory inadequate for situations of change and uncertainty aggregation. As methodological individualists, rational choice theorists can only view...

Realism has been one of the most powerful new developments in philosophy and the social sciences. As this volume states, it is also having an increasing impact in management and business studies. Pulling together a wide range of material which is all explicitly or implicitly rooted in philosophical realism, this volume combines theoretical papers with contributions addressing such issues as the nature of the firm and the labour process. Together they demonstrate that realism is a powerful alternative to postmodernism and positivism.

Dictionary of Critical Realism fulfils a vital gap in the literature, Critical Realism is often criticised for being too opaque and deploying too much jargon, thereby making the concepts inaccessible for a wider audience. However, as Hartwig puts it 'Just as the tools of the various skilled trades need to be precision-engineered for specific, interrelated functions, so meta-theory requires concepts honed for specific interrelated tasks: it is impossible to think creatively at that level without them.'

This Dictionary seeks to redress this problem; to throw open the...

In this book Christopher Norris develops the case for scientific realism by tackling various adversary arguments from a range of anti-realist positions. Through a close critical reading he shows how they fail to make adequate sense on any rational, consistent, and scientifically-informed survey of the evidence. Along the way he incorporates a number of detailed case-studies from the history and philosophy of science. Norris devotes much of his discussion to some of the most prominent and widely influential source-texts of anti-realism. Also included are the sophisticated versions of...

First published in 2006. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.