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Work #852 · Mid

The Possibility of Naturalism

Roy Bhaskar
1979 (1st ed.); 1989 (2nd ed.); 1998 (3rd ed.) · English
Philosophical treatise · Late-twentieth-century British critical realism

Bhaskar's 1979 extension of critical realism to the social sciences

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute The Possibility of Naturalism (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

The Possibility of Naturalism

The temporal interplay of structure and agency.

Space

The Possibility of Naturalism

The stratified social-structural space.

Matter

The Possibility of Naturalism

The embodied social actor.

Observer

The Possibility of Naturalism

The critical-realist social scientist.

Energy

The Possibility of Naturalism

Energies of social reproduction and transformation.

Information

The Possibility of Naturalism

The TMSA model.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The Possibility of Naturalism

Bhaskar's Possibility of Naturalism: foundational extension of critical realism to social science; shaped Archer, Collier, Lawson.