Methodological

Methodological refers to the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study. It comprises the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a branch of knowledge such as the Philosophy of science. It can be categorized into several subfields such as Methodological Naturalism, Methodological Solipsism, and Methodological Individualism.

Overview

The term Methodological is often used in the context of the Social sciences and Natural sciences to refer to the rigorous and systematic approach researchers use to uncover the phenomena of interest. Methodological studies involve the use of a specific research methodology to directly test a question/hypothesis about the phenomena.

Methodological Naturalism

Methodological Naturalism is a philosophical basis for science, for which metaphysical naturalism provides only one possible ontological foundation. Essentially, it says that all scientific endeavors—all hypotheses and events—are to be explained and tested by reference to natural causes and events.

Methodological Solipsism

Methodological Solipsism is an approach in psychological theory stipulating that the mind and its thoughts can be understood without reference to the external world. It is a methodological principle that actions or states of mind of others are not objectively observable and that one can only infer the existence of mindstates in others through their actions.

Methodological Individualism

Methodological Individualism is the principle that subjective individual motivation explains social phenomena, rather than class or group dynamics which are, according to methodological individualists, artificial and unhelpful abstractions. Methodological individualism thus holds that social phenomena must be explained by showing how they result from individual actions.

See Also

• Research Methodology
• Scientific Method
• Philosophy of science