Description
Book SynopsisThis illuminating book provides a reconstruction of social theory that emphasizes its humanist foundations and the centrality of values in social inquiry.
Trade Review"The result of a lifetime of thinking about the conditions that facilitate or frustrate human flourishing, this work offers a brief and eloquent statement of Selznick's broad vision. It is original and stimulating, albeit controversial, and will be of interest to scholars in many disciplines." —Kenneth Winston, Harvard University
"
A Humanist Science is a distillation of themes that underlie a life of investigation and thought. A delight to read, Selznick's work reminds readers of the virtues of intellectual spaciousness and reach. Full of wise, thoughtful appraisals of what matters in social life, and what conditions allow us to thrive or serve to diminish us, it offers a program and example of how to think well about fundamental things." -- Martin Krygier * University of New South Wales *
"Selznick resuscitates a promising humanist perspective in this gracefully composed, well conceived, thoroughly readable work. It proposes an admirable, 'human-friendly' orientation to the social sciences that is long overdue, and caps a distinguished career well-spent in clarifying difficult questions." -- Alan Sica * Pennsylvania State University *
Table of ContentsContents Foreword xxx Preface xxx Part One The Humanist Imagination Chapter 1 The Humanist Tradition 000 Chapter 2 The Postulate of Humanity 000 Chapter 3 Four Pillars of Humanist Science 000 Part Two Realms of Value Chapter 4 From Social Order to Moral Order 000 Chapter 5 Humanist Virtues 000 Chapter 6 The Morality of Governance 000 Chapter 7 Rationality and Responsibility 000 Chapter 8 The Quality of Culture 000 Chapter 9 Law and Justice 000 Part Three Philosophy and Social Science Chapter 10 Moral Philosophy and Social Science 000 Chapter 11 A Public Philosophy 000 Notes 000 Index 000
