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Knowledge and the Social Sciences - PHI00122I

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  • Department: Philosophy
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

This module aims to develop an understanding of the nature of society, our knowledge of it, and how it affects our ways of knowing. There are no formal prerequisites for taking the course, but knowledge of at least some social science or of some basic epistemology or philosophy of science will be helpful. The module will be taught by a weekly lecture and seminar.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

This course aims to develop an understanding of the nature of society, our knowledge of it, and how it affects our ways of knowing. Topics will include the methods of social scientific investigation, the construction of social reality, race and inequality, and issues in social epistemology.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to…

  • Critically evaluate the relative merits of methods in social scientific investigation.

  • Explain and evaluate theories of the construction of social reality.

  • Defend informed opinions concerning the scope and limits of knowledge of and in society.

  • Identify and analyse conceptual and normative presuppositions of social scientific theory, of its methods, and of particular arguments made by philosophers and social scientists.

Module content

The module will examine a number of issues related to the particular methods of social scientific enquiry, the nature of social reality and the nature, the scope and limits of knowledge in and of society. Critical discussion of the methods in social science will draw on a range of historical and contemporary authors. We will consider the nature of social reality, including social actions and social facts. The scope and limits of social knowledge will be explored through contemporary debates including, for example, testimony, disagreement, and epistemic relativism.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Feedback will be given in accordance with the policies of the University and the Philosophy Department.

Indicative reading

  • Michael Martin and Lee C. McIntyre (eds.) 1994. Readings in the Philosophy of Social Science. MIT Press.

  • Harold Kincaid (ed.) 2012. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press.

  • Cailin O’Connor, Sandy Goldberg, and Alvin Goldman, 2023. Social Epistemology, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

  • Paul Boghossian, Fear of Knowledge: Against Relativism and Constructivism. 2006. Oxford University Press.

  • Natalie Alana Ashton, Martin Kusch, Robin McKenna, Katharina Anna Sodoma, Social Epistemology and Relativism. 2020. Routledge.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.