Social Science as a Policy Science Producing Theories for Coping

Prelude:

Social Science has a dynamic impact on the many spheres of human life and in fact shaping the
thought of human societies from the very beginning of civilization and making human societies ready to
adopt the challenges of changing future for mankind. Thus the importance of social sciences should not
be ignored. Moreover, in areas such as social and primary care, political system, judicial system and
even inthriving business arena, social science is extremely important, and necessary. [Staff, S. I. (2017)]

Simply Social Science is a branch of science dealing with a particular phase or aspect of the
different institutions and functions of human societies and with the interpersonal relationships of
individuals, communities and different institutions as members or as parts of human societies.
[Wikipedia. (Social Science) (2020)]

Meanwhile, Policy Science conveys different meaning from different perspective. In one
perspective, Policy Science refers to a process of analysis by which the various consequences of
particular courses of action are spelled out in terms of their monetary costs and benefits so that a
decision-maker may be well informed as to the possible outcomes of his alternatives. A policy science in
this sense is simply ‘mapping the decision space’ in which the policymaker is going to act. [Fay, B.
(1975)]

The other meaning of ‘policy science’ which is a particular set of procedures which enables one
to determine the technically best course of action to adopt in order to implement a decision or achieve
a goal. Here Policy Science helps for opting the most efficient course of action in terms of the available
scientific information for achieving a certain goal. [Fay, B. (1975)]

On the basis of all these explication, the policy scientist really is a type of social engineer who
makes instrumental decisions on the basis of the various laws of science,for instance- social science;
which are relevant to the problem at hand. The policy engineeris one who seeks the most technically
correct answer to political problems in terms of available social scientific knowledge. [Fay, B. (1975)]

Combining all these perspective as a big picture, Policy Science is an aesthetic part of Social
Science which is concerned with the formulation and implementation of policy in bureaucracies or
business. Policy Science studies the process of deciding or choosing and evaluating the relevance of
available knowledge for the solution of particular problems through predominantly focusing on solving
problems from five key intellectual aspects: clarification of goals; description of trends; analysis of
conditions; projection of future developments; and invention, evaluation, and selection of alternatives.
Policy sciences further integrate philosophy, history, science, prophecy, and commitment.

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How Social Science as Policy Science Producing Theories for Coping:

Social science enables human beings to control their social environment, thereby makesocial
ambiance more harmonious and congruent with the needs and wants of its members. Social science
permits individuals to control and order the social arrangements which structure their own lives. [Fay,
B. (1975)]

In the same vein, Policy Science or Political Science as Social Science provides objective
knowledge of how events or properties of systems are related, and thus it alone can provide us with the
power requisite for the task of social control. Policy Science as Social Scienceis producing theories and
constructs for coping with social dilemmas and formulating best plan of actions as well as guiding the
effectual implementation of the action plan to draw sustenance for communities, societies and
institutions. [Fay, B. (1975)]

Policy Science defines the common notion of how the knowledge gained from a social science
positivistically conceived is to be applied to social life, and shows two basic ideas - an idea of science
and an idea of its use - are conceptually linked. It is no accident that the positivistic model leads to
technological view of politics. Contrary to the value-free ideal of the positivist tradition, the scientific
enterprise understood positivistically contains within itself an implicitly instrumentalist notion of how
theory and practice are related and that, with regard to the social sciences, there is consequently an
implied political theory as an element in its account of what it means to understand social life. [Fay, B.
(1975)]

Policy Science helps individuals, institutions of societies to enhance their ability to think social,
political issues critically, deal with social-political ambiguities and solve complex social dilemmas. In
broadest spectrum, Policy Science represents a way of thinking not just invigorating a set of institutional
and social skills and knowledge. It is a strategic approach to analytical thinking, making things done and
improves key processes for implementation and evaluation. It is this viewpoint Political Science
underlies the single most important element in the whole social engineering view of politics, which is
that there is a correct way of proceeding in human affairs and that it is the responsibility of the
decision-maker to discover what this way is. [Fay, B. (1975)]

Policy Science is shapes human ability of analytical thinking for evaluating sociopolitical aspects
through looking at retrospective and futuristic trends and making sense in terms of reality. This is a vital
skill required within individuals or institutions that can help, no matter what happens. This ability is
woven through the exercise of policy science that relies heavily on deeper acumen social and political
issues as well as dilemmas and helps to formulate best plan of actions. [Fay, B. (1975)]

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 Policy Science is a scientific envision in social problem solving which delineate how to take
professional approaches for the mitigation of social and political issues. It bolsters an individual’s
prowess to frame social problems, ask questions and collect data. It further helps to answer more than
just stock questions which are truly impressive. Policy science further attempts to provide a structure in
terms of which political questions could be settled ‘rationally’ must involve reference to just those
considerations that the idea of policy science was designed to eliminate, namely, notions of significance
and worth. [Fay, B. (1975)]

As an aesthetic purview of Social Science, Policy Science delivers resolution to individuals,

institutions, thus societies for dealing with social ambiguities and creates change that can help societies
or institutions to compete in the most challenging environments. The idea of a policy science rests on
the conviction that debates about political principles and ideals, imaginative efforts to picture
alternative worlds, arguments about the basic values which particular social institutions ought to
incorporate and foster, that all of these are mere ‘metaphysical speculation’, ‘expressions of
preference’, ‘self-assertive decisions’, and so on. It helps individuals and institutions to demonstrate
their ability to maximize societal and political talents, enroll others for achieving sociopolitical
objectives, champion social changes, look at the big picture and even optimize social or institutional
interest. It helps to delve deeper in any issue to make the cut and yield a result. [Fay, B. (1975)],
[Graciarem, J. (1978)]

Conclusion:

All in all, Policy Science as Social Science is playing the pivotal role for shaping the future of
human societies even in terms of sociopolitical purview in this changing world ambiance and producing
the coping theories when the entire universe is verging towards the highly precision technology led
forth industrial revolution following its congenial role from the debut of modern civilization to through
earlier industrial insurgency which shaped the modern world in terms of economy, business, politics,
government, balance of power and participation. From the aforesaid explication we can easily fathom
the magnitude of Policy Science as Social Science and how it is delivering resolution to human societies
to cope up with the upcoming challenges and even thrive for the betterment of mankind.

References

1. Staff, S. I. (2017, February 7). The Importance of the Social Sciences. Retrieved from
https://www.studyinternational.com/news/the-importance-of-the-social-sciences/

2. Wikipedia contributors. (2020, February 1). Social science. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Retrieved 10:00, February 2, 2020, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Social_science&oldid=938641045
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3. Fay, B. (1975). Social Theory and Political Practice. Volume 67, Routledge Library Editions: Social
Theory. (Page 11 – 17). 10.2307/2064737.

4. Graciarem, J. (1978). Between reality and utopia. The dialectics of the Social sciences in Latin
America. CEPAL Review. 1978. 35-61. 10.18356/d26f8371-en.

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