Epistemological Reflection on the Social Sciences

The question of methods is related to the crisis of scientific research in general: each time research has worsened, the historical trinity: the ¿knowing subject¿, the ¿subject¿ and the method were present. Where the scientific crisis is often, firstly, interpreted historically as a crisis in research methodology, secondly, followed by the knowing-subject, and finally by the subject of knowledge. A number of thinkers have provided a revolutionary vision in the field of scientific research, centered on the idea of liberating science from the domination of research methods; in particular, the methods which have a single and fixed dimension, become only simple restrictions and obstacles which hinder the movement of scientific progress. The ¿knowing subject¿ often becomes an obstacle to development; and directs the knowledge towards dogmatism and subjectivity. This judgment in no way means that the method has not served the humanities. Rather, we emphasize that the excessive respect and the entire believing in rigour of the method produced a kind of hegemony that transformed knowledge into stereotyped and ready knowledge in rigid forms.