Mathematical theory construction in sociology: Analytic power, scope, and descriptive accuracy as trade‐offs*

I thank Susan LoBello, Steven Gilham, and Nino Lo. Bello for their valuable comments and advice on this paper.

The development of the field of mathematical sociology is analyzed as a process of balancing three competing objectives—analytic power, scope, and descriptive accuracy—with a particular focus upon means for increasing each without compromising the others. It is argued that recent developments in the fields of artificial intelligence and mathematical decision theory appear to be particularly promising.

Notes

I thank Susan LoBello, Steven Gilham, and Nino Lo. Bello for their valuable comments and advice on this paper.