Reconstructing Main Epistemological Issues in Contemporary Social Thought: Contributions from Chaos/Complexity Theory

This paper seeks to provide an extended critical overview of crucial issues and dilemmas within contemporary social thought, as well as within the wide field of social science theory and methodology. In this context, it offers some necessary theoretical stimulations and perspectives to re-think seriously and imaginatively and to re-decide about the persistent, complicated, ambiguous and highly disputed topics of predictability/unpredictability, reflexivity, and normativity (ethics). It is argued that useful synthetic insights from chaos/complexity theory can and should play a significant role in correcting well-established lines of thought (namely, realism and critical realism), as well as in adequately addressing these crucial general issues.