浅议方法论个体主义与方法论整体主义之争——以沃特金斯VS.布洛德贝克为例

The Debates between Methodological Individualism and Methodological Holism

沃特金斯早期提出的以彻底解释为要义的强形式的方法论个体主义主张,遭到了布洛德贝克的反驳。沃特金斯反过来指责布洛德贝克的立场是形而上学的整体主义。后者为此深感不安,从而在本体论上承诺个体主义,但是在认识论和方法论上提出,对非统计的建制性概念进行个体主义还原时遭遇末端开放性困难,从而引发关于社会理论能否还原的热烈讨论。沃特金斯后期也与方法论个体主义渐行渐远。

The strong version of the principle of methodological individualism characterized by rock-bottom explanation which was advocated by earlier J. W. N. Watkins was refuted by May Brodbeck. Watkins responsed and rebuked that the position of the latter was metaphysical holism. Brodbeck was in serious uneasiness and refuted again. While committed to ontolog!cal individualism,Brodbeck suggested that non：statistical in- stitutional concepts presented the difficulty of open-endness in reduction, which led to heat discussions about the reduction of theories. And later Watkins also quited his earlier claims.