Non-cognitivism, the belief that normative statements, unlike empirical statements do NOT convey objective knowledge is deeply embedded in mainstream social science methodology and strongly influences the views of social scientists on the status of values in social science. This article...

Addresses the problem of whether an objective, realistic social science is possible or whether any social science is bound to remain merely a form of ideology-that is of systematically false, distorted belief. Formulates some ways of thinking about an autonomous social reality that can serve as...