Positive Psychology and Philosophy of Social Science.

Many of the shortcomings of 'positive psychology' seem to stem from its unreflectively perpetuating key assumptions of the very mainstream social science it censures for being too 'negative.' Philosophical hermeneutics and related social theory perspectives allow us to identify and critically examine such assumptions, including a one-sided individualism and narrow instrumentalism. Hermeneutics allows us to make sense of the 'disguised ideology' that imbues positive psychology and much modern social science, suggests that social inquiry is best seen as a kind of dialogic understanding, and may allow us to take the measure of deep human limitations without falling into cynicism or despair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]