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Some Logical and Normative Issues Relating to Measurement in the Social Sciences

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  • S. Subramanian

    (Independent Scholar)

Abstract

This lecture is based on the premise that measurement is very important for the social sciences. However, it also enjoins care on the practitioner’s part in his or her engagement with the project of measurement. It deals, in particular, with four often overlooked issues with which quantification in the social sciences should be concerned: (1) social indicators in relation to the contrast between outcomes and processes; (2) measurement which tends to depend on the derivation of ‘ought’ propositions from ‘is’ propositions; (3) the neglect of the role of normative values in social and economic measurement; and (4) the role of language and logic in social measurement.

Suggested Citation

  • S. Subramanian, 2019. "Some Logical and Normative Issues Relating to Measurement in the Social Sciences," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 17(4), pages 937-948, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jqecon:v:17:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s40953-019-00187-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s40953-019-00187-7
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Outcomes; Processes; ‘Is’ propositions; ‘Ought’ propositions; ‘Decomposition’; Logical coherence; Normative appeal; Language; Meaning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • D39 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Other
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts

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