Discovery of the Future in the Social and Human Sciences

This book examines the growing importance of the future within the social and human sciences. It argues that, while these disciplines have traditionally been oriented towards the interpretation of the past, contemporary scientific and social developments increasingly require a future-oriented perspective. By shifting attention from past causes to future possibilities, the book proposes a reconsideration of the conceptual foundations of the sciences themselves. Within this framework, past experience is no longer understood primarily as a determinant of behavior, but as a source of information about possible futures and alternative courses of action. Questions of anticipation, choice, and possibility thereby play a big role. Bringing together conceptual, methodological, and interdisciplinary reflections, this book offers the first comprehensive study of the role of the future across the social and human sciences. By opening new directions for research, teaching, and practical application, it is of interest to scholars concerned with the changing foundations of scientific inquiry.