Description
Book SynopsisMeasurement and Meaning takes stock of the most important projects in the conceptual grounding of measurement, from early representational theories through the axiomatic approach to operationalism. Ferenc Csatári thoroughly analyzes the main philosophical issues and identifies problems with each of these accounts. In addition, he observes the peculiarities of measurement in social sciences. Ultimately, he argues for a constructivist approach to measurement. As long as measurement is conceived as an assignment of numerical structures to represent properties (as traditionally done), one might feel obliged to account for continuum, errors, and truth. The author puts these key concepts under scrutiny and arrives at a non-trivial, constructive interpretation for each. On these new conceptual grounds, the active quest for congruence in phenomena will be the key to establishing meaningful measurement procedures.
Trade ReviewThis book is an inspiring analysis developed through conceptual and historical trends, providing philosophical arguments in favor of a constructionist approach to measurement and spanning both physical and non-physical properties. -- Luca Mari, LIUC-Università Cattaneo
Table of ContentsContents Introduction 1 Empiricism 2 Rules, Procedures, Reality 3 Scales and Structures 4 On the Hard Road of Practice 5 Construction and Truth References
