How did Ludwig Wittgenstein’s ideas about rule following influence social science?

Ludwig Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, particularly his analysis of rule following in Philosophical Investigations, profoundly influenced the philosophy of social science by challenging the application of natural science methods to human behavior.

Wittgenstein argued that linguistic meaning is essentially social and rooted in communal practices rather than private mental states or abstract logical calculi. He contended that rules do not "guide" behavior in a mechanical sense; rather, following a rule is a social activity embedded in a "form of life".123

This perspective was instrumental in developing interpretive approaches to social science, most notably through the work of Peter Winch. Winch applied Wittgenstein’s insights to argue that:

• Meaningful Action: Human behavior is inherently meaningful and intentional, making it fundamentally different from the movements of nonconscious entities studied in natural sciences.2
• Conceptual Schemes: The study of human society requires understanding the specific conceptual schemes and social rules that agents follow, rather than seeking causal laws.2
• Rejection of Scientism: Social science should not attempt to emulate the predictive, theory-driven models of the natural sciences, as human actions are defined by their participation in social practices.23

By emphasizing that "an inner process stands in need of outward criteria," Wittgenstein helped shift the focus of social inquiry toward the interpretation of public, rule-governed social activities.23