Agency /

Concepts of agency lie at the heart of social science, for these concepts articulate underlying assumptions and understandings about how, and how far, individuals can act and produce effects. While individuals can choose what to do, they must act within preexisting social and natural worlds that are...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Duncan, Simon
Other Authors: Atkinson, Paul, 1947- (Editor), Delamont, Sara, 1947- (Editor), Cernat, Alexandru (Editor), Sakshaug, Joseph W. (Editor), Williams, Richard A., active 2020 (Editor)
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: London : SAGE Publications Ltd., 2020.
Series:Philosophical principles.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:Concepts of agency lie at the heart of social science, for these concepts articulate underlying assumptions and understandings about how, and how far, individuals can act and produce effects. While individuals can choose what to do, they must act within preexisting social and natural worlds that are largely outside their control. This question of how far humans have free will, and how far their actions are predetermined, has been part of philosophical and religious debate throughout history. Social science translated this question into the problem of agency and structure. Any solution, however, remains elusive. Consequently, schools of thought and research perspectives have lurched from one emphasis to the other, stressing either the autonomous powers of agents or alternatively the dominance of pregiven structures. This picture of ...
Physical Description:1 online resource.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9781529746891
1529746892
9781526421036
1526421038