Explanation and comparative dynamics in social science

Abstract

A static explanation argues that something is so because something else is so. For example, an explanation of a state of affairs in terms of an equilibrium is static. A dynamic explanation, on the other hand, argues the something is so because it has become so. The physicist, for example, views the velocity of a falling stone as a result of force having acted (not merely now acting) on the stone. In this article, the author points out the excessive reliance of many social sciences upon static explanations of social arrangements (equilibria, adjustment, etc.) and the comparative neglect of dynamic (historical) analysis. He also develops heuristic criteria for judging the explanatory value of various social variables in dynamic analysis.