piecemeal social engineering

piecemeal social engineering

the limited form of economic and social planning which Karl POPPER argued is all that is justified by social science knowledge. Popper's claim arises from his falsificationist epistemology (see FALSIFICATIONISM) and his view that knowledge – and hence social life – is inherently unpredictable (see HISTORICISM). He also argues that parallels can be drawn with biological evolution, that, as well as being unpredictable, social evolution best proceeds by small steps. see also EVOLUTIONARY SOCIOLOGY.

Collins Dictionary of Sociology, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2000