Tussen Scylla en Charibdis

An evaluation of the relations between mathematics and sociology. An analysis is made of some mathematically oriented social sci'ts (K. Lewin, C. S. Dodd) and some sociol'ly-minded mathematicians (N. Rashevsky and his Sch). An attempt is made to evaluate the work of these scientists from the mathematical and the sociological aspects. Mathematical sociologists express their theories in a sort of shorthand; but their formulations are not very mathematical. Their symbolic expressions are a mere pseudo-mathematical symbolism. Upon closer examination it appears that mathematical sociologists make no sharp distinction between theory and reality, as a consequence of the view that each particular symbol or concept must be linked with some specific being or occurrence. Rashevsky, departing from the physico-mathematical method, tries to build a mathematical biosociology. His work aims at providing an exact foundation for a theoretical view of the biosocial world; but it is highly artificial and his sociological postulates are too abstract to bear any resemblance to reality. A pessimistic conclusion is reached: neither of the 2 groups has contributed much toward a better understanding of social behavior by mathematical formulations. No exact predictions are possible about the future of mathematical sociology. I. Langnas.