Idea
The text argues that social sciences are not secondary knowledge or a cultural luxury, but a necessary tool for understanding society and supporting development. Development does not rest on economics alone; it also requires an understanding of social relations, ways of life, and the transformations affecting the community. Without this understanding, policies are closer to blind trial and error than to conscious planning.
Concise Formulation
Social sciences: presented as an essential tool for development
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim occupies a foundational position in the book’s argument, because it elevates the social sciences from the level of partial explanation to the level of a general tool for understanding reality. The book does not treat them as a peripheral branch of knowledge, but as a necessary entry point for any project of reform or development. This statement is therefore directly linked to the idea that society cannot be understood or built without knowledge of it.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim lies in the fact that it assigns social study a clear practical function. It shows that understanding the human being and the community is part of the conditions of progress, not merely a theoretical remark. In Arkoun’s context, this helps explain his critique of any conception that reduces development to the material dimension alone.
Brief Evidence
Social sciences: presented as an essential tool for development Social sciences: presented as an essential tool for development and for analyzing societies
Reading Questions
- Why are the social sciences necessary for understanding society before speaking about its development?
- How does this statement change our understanding of the meaning of development itself?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.