Conversing with the Dynamic Nominalist: Hacking into the Social Sciences by Emelia Erickson

Dublin Core

Title

Conversing with the Dynamic Nominalist: Hacking into the Social Sciences by Emelia Erickson

Subject

Philosophy

Description

Ian Hacking posits that the looping effect is occurring within the social sciences and it is causing scientists to change their object of study as they study it. As social scientists classify humans based on behavior, they create a new reality for humans to act under which causes the behavior that defines the classification to change. Thus, changes in the classification loop back on humans in the classification. Hacking’s argument for the looping effect takes place in several stages throughout his career. This paper looks at the history of the argument for the looping effect and then lays out an argument for the implications of the looping effect that Hacking has not given. Then an argument is given toward the limitations of the looping effect.

Creator

Erickson, Emelia

Source

Senior Showcase Oral presentation

Publisher

Ripon College

Date

April 23, 2015

Rights

The author reserves all rights.

Format

pdf

Identifier

Majors: Psychology, Philosophy
Forest Lake, Minnesota
PHL 491 - Senior Statement

Files

Erickson (2015).pdf

Citation

Erickson, Emelia, “Conversing with the Dynamic Nominalist: Hacking into the Social Sciences by Emelia Erickson,” Senior Showcase Digital Collection, accessed March 29, 2024, https://rcseniorshowcase.omeka.net/items/show/3.

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