Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences: A Lecture Series by Mostafa Malekian

To delineate the geography of our discussion, it is worth noting that the empirical sciences (both natural and human) have three sets of philosophical foundations:

Philosophical foundations common to the natural and human empirical sciences (including causality, induction, and law)

Philosophical foundations specific to the natural empirical sciences

Philosophical foundations specific to the human empirical sciences

In this lecture series on the philosophical foundations of the human sciences, we will only address the philosophical foundations specific to the human empirical sciences; the other two categories are not the subject of our discussion. If we cannot prove the truth of these foundations, we must at least establish their reasonableness.

.

A list of topics to be examined in the lecture series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences.

Session One

Presentation of some preliminaries at the outset First preliminary: What is meant by the human sciences

Second preliminary: The benefits of discussing the philosophical foundations of the human sciences 1- Demonstrating the human sciences' need for philosophy 2- Many examinations of theories are foundational examinations. 3- Many terms and concepts cannot be scrutinized without knowledge of their philosophical foundations. 4- Understanding divergence and convergence regarding the human sciences requires foundational examinations.

Third preliminary: The place of the human sciences in the geography of the sciences Fourth preliminary: Delimiting the discussion on philosophical foundations Fifth preliminary: The boundary between the empirical sciences and philosophy Different views on the boundary between the empirical sciences and philosophy First criterion, Bacon's theory: Having or not having presuppositions Critique of the first criterion Second criterion, Reichenbach's theory: Based on the methodology of the context of justification Third criterion, Popper's theory: Based on the research method of propositions Two examples of falsifiable and unfalsifiable propositions: Falsifiable: Unfalsifiable: Critique of the third criterion Two major objections to Popper's view Existential propositions (simple predicative propositions): 2- Universal, statistical, and probabilistic propositions:

Session Two

Fourth criterion: Based on the research method of propositions Philosophical foundations specific to the human empirical sciences First foundation: The human being has a fundamental difference from other beings. Some views on the difference between humans and other animals First view: The existence of a dimension other than the body Second view: The existence of free will Third view: The existence of language Fourth view: The existence of second-order beliefs Fifth view: Encounter with values The difference between the emotional charge of words and the discussion of values Different types of value concepts: Moral value concepts: Legal value concepts: Religious and creedal value concepts: Value concepts arising from customs and traditions: Aesthetic value concepts: Prudential value concepts:

Session Three

Two roles of values in the human sciences First theory: Values are a part of human life. Second theory: One cannot have a value-free human science. Sixth view: Being moral Seventh view: The property of intentionality Eighth view: Agency Ninth view: Rationality Theoretical and practical rationality Theoretical rationality Practical rationality Views on the criterion of theoretical rationality Views on the criterion of practical rationality Session Four Divisions of practical rationality Ninth view: A social being The difference between collective and social life Objection to the ninth view Response to the objection to the ninth view The theory of the five selves Authentic life and individuality Tenth view: Being institutional Institutional facts and speech acts The theory of speech acts Eleventh view: An interpreting being

Session Five

Second foundation: Individualistic or collectivist approach and Views on the phenomena discussed in the human sciences Two main schools in the explanation of human phenomena Third foundation: The possibility of using the functions of the natural empirical sciences in the human sciences Functions of the natural empirical sciences 1- Description: 2- Explanation: 3- Prediction: 4- Design and planning: Functions of the natural empirical sciences in the human sciences Fourth foundation: A particularistic or holistic approach? Fifth foundation: The possibility of knowing the human being

.

---

.

Audio of the First Session of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

.

---

.

Audio of the Second Session of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

.

---

.

Audio of the Third Session of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

.

---

.

Audio of the Fourth Session of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

.

---

.

Audio of the Fifth Session of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

.

---

.

Full Text of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

.

---

.

Full Text of the Lecture Series on the Philosophical Foundations of the Human Sciences

Instructor: Mostafa Malekian

Venue: Rakhdad-e Tazeh

Year of Instruction: 1393

.

---

.