The Myths of Empiricism Symposium

Since the nineteenth century, empiricism and positivism have significantly shaped British and European social thought. This influence extends from the philosophical contributions of Locke, Hume, and Mill, through Comtean positivism's pursuit of a unified scientific sociology, to the twentieth-century dominance of quantitative, evidence-based paradigms in UK social research. Post-war professionalisation, funding structures tied to policy relevance, and the rise of big data have further entrenched a preference for observable facts, measurable variables, and replicable generalisations, often at the expense of interpretive, historical, or reflexive inquiry.

Rather than rejecting empirical work, the symposium seeks to transform it by arguing that genuine rigour requires acknowledging the limits of observation, the value-laden character of facts, and the need for frameworks that address complexity in social phenomena. The event provides a forum where critical philosophy engages with sociology, anthropology, science and technology studies (STS), and related disciplines to challenge methodological orthodoxies and envision broader approaches to social understanding.

The event will be held in-person with an online participation option available, making it a hybrid event. This approach ensures inclusivity for early-career scholars and participants who are unable to attend on-site.

The Myths of Empiricism Symposium serves as a timely call to reclaim the imaginative and critical capacities of the social sciences, challenging the notion that data alone can fully capture social reality and advocating for epistemologies that reflect the richness, fragility, and historicity of human existence.