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CHAPTER 2RESEARCH DESIGN: TOWARDSPROBLEM FORMULATIONFree download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaINTRODUCTION: SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCH AS A RATIONALACTIVITYChapters 2 to 5 are devoted to a discussion of the dynamics of the process ofsocial sciences research. In the previous chapter we emphasized the fact thatthe research process is essentially a decision-making process in which theresearcher is continuously involved, among other things, in making decisionsabout what ought to be investigated and how this ought to be done. As weindicated, in the language game of the social sciences high demands are placedupon the validity of scientific statements. This clearly implies that researchmust be objective and critical. In terms of the topic of this, and the next threechapters, this would require that the researcher make rational researchdecisions. Although rational has become to be seen as a loaded concept inrecent philosophy of science, it is still true that in most circles it is acceptedthat scientific activities must comply with the criteria of rationality. Wheredifferences do occur, they relate to the exact interpretation of what is meant byrationality. Because this is not a philosophical treatise in which we can enterinto the detail of this problem, we shall confine ourselves to two remarks. Thefirst will deal with what rationality is not, and the second with the meaningwhich we wish to give to the concept rationality in this book.A well-known interpretation of rationality is that found in logical positivism andthe earlier philosophy of Karl Popper in which rationality is equated with29