| Collation |
xi, 484 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
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text txt rdacontent |
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unmediated n rdamedia |
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volume nc rdacarrier |
| Note |
Expanded and rev. ed. of: Nuts and bolts for the social sciences, 1989. |
| Bibliog. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
Preface -- Introduction-- Part 1: Explanation And Mechanisms -- 1: Explanation -- 2: Mechanisms -- 3: Interpretation -- Part 2: Mind -- 4: Motivations -- 5: Self-interest and altruism -- 6: Myopia and foresight -- 7: Beliefs -- 8: Emotions -- Part 3: Action -- 9: Desires and opportunities -- 10: Persons and situations -- 11: Rational choice -- 12: Rationality and behavior -- 13: Responding to irrationality -- 14: Some implications for textual interpretation -- Part 4: Lessons From The Natural Sciences -- 15: Physiology and neuroscience -- 16: Explanation by consequences and natural selection -- 17: Selection and human behavior -- Part 5: Interaction -- 18: Unintended consequences -- 19: Strategic interaction -- 20: Games and behavior -- 21: Trust -- 22: Social norms -- 23: Collective belief formation -- 24: Collective action -- 25: Collective decision-making -- 26: Organizations and institutions -- Conclusion: Is social science possible? -- Index. |
| Summary |
From the Publisher: This book is an expanded and revised edition of the author's critically acclaimed volume Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences. In twenty-six succinct chapters, Jon Elster provides an account of the nature of explanation in the social sciences. He offers an overview of key explanatory mechanisms in the social sciences, relying on hundreds of examples and drawing on a large variety of sources-psychology, behavioral economics, biology, political science, historical writings, philosophy and fiction. Written in accessible and jargon-free language, Elster aims at accuracy and clarity while eschewing formal models. |
| Subject |
Social sciences -- Methodology.
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Social interaction.
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| Alt Author |
Elster, Jon, 1940-
Nuts and bolts for the social sciences.
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| ISBN |
052177179X (hardback) |
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9780521771795 (hardback) |
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0521777445 (pbk.) |
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9780521777445 (pbk.) |
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