A Debate on the (Im)possibility of Scientific Research in the Human Sciences

What is it about?

The authors (father and daughter) debate the necessity for and the (im)possibility of scientific research in the human sciences. As a researcher, the daughter (E) completed her PhD thesis on a study of the effectiveness of online treatment for depression. The father (A) has always doubted the claim of human scientists that they were able to explain, predict, and control human behavior. The conclusion about whether to do scientific research in the human sciences or not is, to paraphrase the Dodo bird from Lewis Carroll’s (1865/1962) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, “Both win and both deserve prizes!”

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Why is it important?

Whether or not transactional analysis professionals should do more scientific research has increasingly been debated within TA communities. Often proponents and opponents argue against each other. In this article, we plan to bridge the gap by joining the forces of both an advocate of scientific research and a skeptic.

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