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An extended historical and philosophical argument, this book will be a valuable text for all students of the philosophy of the social sciences. It discusses the serious alternatives to positivist and empiricist accounts of the physical sciences, and poses the debate between naturalism and anti-naturalism in the social sciences in new terms. Recent materialist and realist philosophies of science make possible a defence of naturalism which does not make concessions to positivism and which recognizes the force of several of the anti-positivist arguments from the main anti-naturalist (neo-Kantian) tradition. The author presents a critical evaluation of empiricist and positivist theories of knowledge, and investigates some classic attempts at using them to provide the philosophical foundation for a scientific sociology. He takes the Kantian critique of empiricism as the starting point for the main anti-positivist and anti-naturalist philosophical approaches to the social studies. He goes on to investigate the inadequacy of post-Kantian arguments from Rickert, Weber, Winch and others, both against non-positivist forms of naturalism and as the possible source of a distinctive philosophical foundation for the social studies. The book concludes with a critical investigation of the Marxian tradition and an attempt to establish the possibility of a materialist and realist defence of the project of a natural science of history, which escapes the fundamental flaws of both positivist and neo-Kantian attempts at philosophical foundation.

It is argued that the decades before 2020 saw a steady rise in public concern about and political recognition of symptoms of a crisis in human social and economic relations to (the rest of) nature. For many, the Covid-19 pandemic has become linked to that, as well as providing, despite the grief and suffering, moments when a different relationship to nature could be experienced. The possibility of a transformative politics towards a just reconciliation between social life and nature may be more visible, but will be ruthlessly resisted by those in power.

The December 2018 issue of Monthly Review featured John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark's "Marx and Alienated Speciesism" and Christian Stache's "On the Origins of Animalist Marxism: Rereading: Ted Benton and the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844," both of which take up Ted Benton's work on animals and Marxism. Here Ted Benton offers a response to the critiques offered by Foster and Clark, and Stache.

A reply to Paul Burkett's "Labour, Eco-Regulation and Value: A Response to Benton's Ecological Critique of Marx" (1998b). It is contended that Burkett agrees with the author's contentions that the capitalist system of social & economic relations is the principal cause of environmental degradation. However, several explanations for differences between the author's & Burkett's Marxist approaches to resolving environmental problems are considered. Burkett's contention that the author's ontology is founded upon the problematic material/social dualism is rejected. It is stated that Burkett has failed to identify the author's critique of technological determinism. After suggesting differences between the author's & Burkett's understanding of class, Burkett's charge that the author is a neo-Malthusian Marxist is addressed. Three central disagreements between Burkett's & the author's Marxist positions are then identified, eg, the author's contention that Karl Marx overlooked the role of domestic labor in comprehending the gendered nature of capitalist social relations. Additional attention is dedicated to highlighting political differences between Burkett & the author. 20 References. J. W. Parker

Explores the concepts of ecological historical materialism that explains within the same framework the human social interactions with nature & the response of social actors to the problems the interactions create. Although Marx & Engels were the key figures in the development of the concepts of historical materialism, it has been enriched by the cultural thought of Western Marxism & critical theory, black & Third World Marxists, materialist feminists, & by ecological critical revisionists. The enriched historical materialism serves as an explanatory theory & as a source of normative orientations, political strategies, & future ideals. This article presents the reworked historical materialism that can provide explanatory views of environmentalism & nature, & where possible it compares the results with that of constructionist & reflexive modernization approaches. Broad coalitions that can apply these concepts are needed for the creation of a better global future. L. A. Hoffman

Explores the concepts of ecological historical materialism that explains within the same framework the human social interactions with nature & the response of social actors to the problems the interactions create. Although Marx & Engels were the key figures in the development of the concepts of historical materialism, it has been enriched by the cultural thought of Western Marxism & critical theory, black & Third World Marxists, materialist feminists, & by ecological critical revisionists. The enriched historical materialism serves as an explanatory theory & as a source of normative orientations, political strategies, & future ideals. This article presents the reworked historical materialism that can provide explanatory views of environmentalism & nature, & where possible it compares the results with that of constructionist & reflexive modernization approaches. Broad coalitions that can apply these concepts are needed for the creation of a better global future. L. A. Hoffman