The Humanities and the Social Sciences

Abstract

Scientific behavior is as common to the humanities as it is to the social sciences—in fact, many of the humanities are social sciences, a condition that should shame neither party. Though there is a clear intellectual line beween the arts and the sciences, no such line can be drawn between the humanistic social sciences and the “social” social sciences. There is a difference in perceived social status, which could be reduced by a better understanding of the common ground on which the humanist and the social scientist stand, Professor Homans, of Harvard, states as his qualifications “that I took my bachelor's degree in English literature, I am a professor of sociology, and I write history.” This article was prepared for the American Council of Learned Societies and is published with its kind permission.