Table of Contents

HISTORICAL NOTE
PREFACE
Introduction
I. The Anti-Naturalistic Doctrines of Historicism
1. Generalization2. Experiment
3. Novelty
4. Complexity
5. Inexactitude of Prediction
6. Objectivity and Valuation
7. Holism
8. Intuitive Understanding
9. Quantitative Valuation
10. Essentialism versus Nominalism
II. The Pro-Naturalistic Doctrines of Historicism
11. Comparison with Astronomy. Long-Term Forecasts and Large-Scale Forecasts
12. The Observational Basis
13. Social Dynamics
14. Historical Laws
15. Historical Prophecy versus Social Engineering
16. The Theory of Historical Development
17. Interpreting versus Planning Social Change
18. Conclusion of the Analysis
III. Criticism of the Anti-Naturalistic Doctrines
19. Practical Aims of this Criticism
20. The Technological Approach to Sociology
21. Piecemeal versus Utopian Engineering
22. The Unholy Alliance with Utopianism
23. Criticism of Holism
24. The Holistic Theory of Social Experiments
25. The Variability of Experimental Conditions
26. Are Generalizations Confined to Periods?
IV. Criticism of the Pro-Naturalistic Doctrines
27. Is there a Law of Evolution? Law and Trends
28. The Method of Reduction. Causal Explanation. Prediction and Prophecy
29. The Unity of Method
30. Theoretical and Historical Sciences
31. Situational Logic in History. Historical Interpretation
32. The Institutional Theory of Progress
33. Conclusion. The Emotional Appeal of Historicism
INDEX