Statistics, causality and empirical sociology in the xxth century

Abstract

The ideas here presented deal with the development of probability theory and the statistical claims on causality made by some identifiable traditions in XXth century empirical sociology. With this view, the most relevant chapters in the development of institutional statistical sociology will be reconstructed in a summarized way, paying attention to the different schools. This reconstruction will start from the departure of this type of sociology in the United States at the beginning of the XXth century, and will outline the present prospects of statistical sociology given the impact of its growing automation; it will also consider the chances that these developments may offer for a possible link between theory and research.