Social Science and Social Policy: Epistemology and Values in Contemporary Research

Abstract

As we all know, university professors and other members of the academic community are more liberal in their politics and social values than the American people as a whole. As we also know, social scientists, whether in the universities or other educational and research establishments, are more liberal than their colleagues in the humanities, the biological sciences, and the physical sciences, to say nothing of their colleagues in the professions. As a social scientist, I certainly have always considered myself extremely liberal. Therefore, imagine my surprise when I found George F. Willsyndicated columnist for Newsweek and the Washington Post, contributor to the National Review, and well-recognized conservativecriticizing what he described as the liberal assumption that "what stands between society and happiness is an insufficiency of 'information.' " My surprise was not with Will's criticism, of course, but with my own agreement and a renewed awareness of my increasing skepticism regarding the usefulness of much social science information ("data" or "findings") for the development of social policy. Let us acknowledge both Will's rhetorical exaggeration and perhaps even a bit of pessimist chic in some disenchantment with social science research today. Let us also acknowledge the pervasive and continually growing role of social science research in the courts, government agencies, and other social institutions despite some budget losses under recent national administrations. Questions about the relationship between social science research and policy decisions,