5. A Logical Toolkit for Theory (Re) Construction

Abstract

The social sciences have achieved highly sophisticated methods for data collection and analysis, leading to increased control and tractability of scientific results. Meanwhile, methods for systematizing these results, as well as new ideas and hypotheses, into sociological theories have seen little progress, leaving most sociological arguments ambiguous and difficult to handle, and impairing cumulative theory development. Sociological theory, containing many valuable ideas and insights, deserves better than this. As a way out of the doldrums, this paper presents a systematic approach to computer-supported logical formalization, that is widely applicable to sociological theory and other declarative discourse. By increasing rigor and precision of sociological arguments, they become better accessible to critical investigation, thereby raising scientific debate to a new level. The merits of this approach areWe are grateful to Jaap Kamps and Gábor Péli for their comments on an earlier version, and to an anonymous reviewer for comments on a later version. Basic ideas for the heuristics presented were developed by László Pólos, Gábor Péli, Breanndán Ó Nualláin, Michael Masuch, Jaap Kamps, and the authors of this paper, who all worked at CCSOM, now called the Applied Logic Laboratory, in Amsterdam. CCSOM was supported from 1990 until 1995 by the Netherlands Organizations for Scientific Research through a PIONIER project awarded to Michael Masuch #PGS50-334!. Bruggeman did part of this work at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and at the Universiteit Twente. He can be contacted at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Oudezijds Achterburgwal 185, 1012 DK Amsterdam, Netherlands, bruggeman@pscw.uva.nl.Ivar Vermeulen is at ALL, UvA, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 VW Amsterdam, ivar@ccsom.uva.nl.*University of Amsterdam 183 demonstrated by applying it to an actual fragment from the sociological literature.The very first lesson that we have a right to demand that logic shall teach us is how to make our ideas clear; and a most important one it is, depreciated only by minds who stand in need of it.To know what we think, to be masters of our own meaning, will make a solid foundation for great and weighty thought. It is most easily learned by those whose ideas are meagre and restricted; and far happier they than such as wallow helplessly in a rich mud of conceptions.-C. S. Peirce, How to Make Our Ideas Clear

The Consequents Of Organizer Ecologies: A Logical Formalization

“…One approach to bringing together the theoretical insights of density delay and pre-entry ecology, and to shedding light on empirical anomalies in studies of density delay, is to make use of logical formalization. There are at least three reasons for using formal logic (Bruggeman & Vermeulen, 2002;Hannan, Carroll, & Pó los, 2003). First, employing formal logic should elucidate patterns of argumentation.…”

“…First, employing formal logic should elucidate patterns of argumentation. Through a process of rational reconstruction, such arguments allow scholars to trace back a particular conclusion to its original premises and, if necessary, to point out aspects that require reconsideration (Bruggeman & Vermeulen, 2002). Second, logic offers an effective tool for linking distinct and sometimes contrasting theory fragments.…”

Reconstrucción de una teoría politológica, el Sufragio Activo Meritocrático

“…9 Bruggeman y Vermeulen optan por la reconstrucción de teorías con la ayuda de algún paquete informático creado para tal efecto; en este trabajo la reconstrucción se realiza sin tal recurso. El procedimiento que proponen los autores referidos es el siguiente: 1) marcar enunciados en el texto o textos que contienen la teoría para detectar sus aspectos nucleares, 2) analizar y afinar los conceptos claves y sus frases, 3) axiomatizar informalmente la teoría con la ayuda de un modelo adecuado, 4) formalizar la teoría mediante la lógica simbólica, y 5) someter a prueba la formalización mediante un paquete informático adecuado (Bruggeman & Vermeulen 2002). parcela de la realidad, de modo que el conjunto original es susceptible de "traducción" sin que ello afecte la funcionalidad de la teoría.…”

Globalization and variants of local adaptation: Theory and justification with symbolic logic

“…Then, we apply symbolic logic to build a transparent framework for the theoretical model. Logic is a powerful formal tool that supports qualitative theory development (Bruggeman and Vermeulen, 2002;Péli, 2016). Still, logic does not replace intuition; it does not tell the researcher what the important insights are.…”