Science and Sociology

What does a scientific sociology look like? What role does uncertainty play in the search for truth? Do the social sciences have something unique to teach us about science in general? More than a breath of fresh air, this book is a breath of life for a field that's been suffocating increasingly in the grip of special interests and identity politics. Ekland-Olson and Gibbs are at the top of their "game" (their term) here: in clear, precise, and cheerful manner they demonstrate what is called for in that highest and rarest act of predictive theory-building.

HC Hsu, PhD and Fellow, Europäische Universität für Interdisziplinäre Studien

Olsen’s and Gibb’s Science and Sociology promises to reinvigorate attention to classical issues in sociological theory and methods, including basic concepts. They begin with a discussion of the centrality of "assertions" to science and end with advocacy of "predictive power" as the criterion for defending theories. Olsen and Gibbs cover a multitude of definitions of science and convincingly defend their preferences. In addition, we are coached in the fundamentals of formal theory construction, including the works of a wide range of sociological scholars in the process. The work should generate lively discussions of sociological epistemology.

Gary F Jensen, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Vanderbilt University

In an era when public trust of science has eroded, Ekland-Olson and Gibbs provide a much-needed renewal of the scientific foundations of sociology. They relish in the importance of uncertainty as the key ingredient in the scientific enterprise of sociology, and persuasively place theory testing at the heart of the advancement of scientific sociology. Their goal is to elevate sociology’s scientific status, and this book provides an essential roadmap for doing so.

David Kirk, Associate Professor of Sociology, Professorial Fellow of Nuffield College, University of Oxford