This paper combines a discussion of some of the philosophical bases of the critique of regional science with a reply to Wilson's review of my monograph “A Critique of Urban Modelling”. After some preliminary comments on the method of the review, philosophical issues concerning the treatment of causation, explanation, and theory in positivism and the particular problems of positivist approaches in the study of society are discussed, and connections are made to more substantive criticisms of urban modelling.
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