The neokantian contribution in the foundation of the social sciences

Abstract

The present article intends to deal with the importance of the neokantian thought for the development of the social sciences. In order to do so it focuses in the ideas of some thinkers from neokantian school, overall, Wilhelm Windelband and Heinrich Rickert, while analyses the influence of that school in the weberian sociology, mainly in its epistemological and methodological aspects. Thus, the article is separated in three parts. The first concentrates in the historical contextualization and in the general problems wich neokantianism faces. The second intends to analyse how Rickert and Windelband categorize the different types and means of scientifical knowledge, pointing to the affinities the theorists have in relation to Weber. Finally, the third section takes care of the discussion about the relationship between science and values,according to Rickert, emphasizing again itsrole in the foundation of the weberian sociology.