Chapter 1 Introduction and overview

Abstract

Set theory provides a foundational approach to mathematics, and mathematics provides an abstract way of looking at social reality. The first section presents some of the elementary concepts of set theory. The second section presents a variety of examples of social reality and shows how the abstract features of reality can be modelled by set theory. The third section shows how set theory can provide a way of looking at the accounts of social reality presented in humanities disciplines such as history and literature. The fourth section briefly indicates how set theory and the concept of a structure provide a foundational approach to mathematics. The fifth section looks at the debates surrounding realism and, albeit warily, espouses mathematical social science realism.

Citation

Burt, G. (2010), "Chapter 1 Introduction and overview", Burt, G. (Ed.) Conflict, Complexity and Mathematical Social Science (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 15), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1572-8323(2010)0000015004