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This book discusses modern scientific inquiry and examines the procedures of inquiry into human behavior used in the behavioral science disciplines. Psychologists look at the individual's adjustive procedures and the evolution of those adjustments within a species. Anthropologists inquire into the behavioral similarities and differences of human cultural groupings, from earliest man to the present. Sociologists investigate the behavior of people in groups and organizations, including the patterns, regularities, variations, and developmental changes in human relations, customs, and institutions. Political scientists study the behavior of human individuals and groups, with an emphasis on the distribution and attainment of political influence and power and on the function, organization, and connections among the political units, institutions, laws, and customs. Other disciplines examined in the book are economics, history, jurisprudence, linguistics, game and decision theory, information theory and cybernetics, and general systems theory. The book devotes a chapter to each field. In addition to the discussion, a selected bibliography and a listing of germane journals are provided for each discipline. (Author/RM)

This book discusses and analyzes the many different procedures of inquiry, both old and new, which have been used in an attempt to solve the problems men encounter. Section A examines some outmoded procedures of inquiry, describes scientific inquiry, and presents the Dewey-Bentley view of scientific method. Sections B and C, which comprise the major portion of the book, present Joseph Ratner's essay, "Introduction to John Dewey's Philosophy," and the full text of John Dewey's and Arthur Bentley's book, "Knowing and the Known." Both of these documents are no longer available from other sources. Section D contains critical analyses of recent inquiries in the behavioral field. (Author/RM)