Background of the debate on quantitative and qualitative methods

The paper will focus on the philosophical conceptual background of the debate between quantitative and qualitative methods. It will point out that the main concepts are considered in different ways: there are different notions of science and scientific theories; quantitative methods are defined some times as non-numerical methods and sometimes as interpretative methods of the meanings and purposes of social actors; finally quantitative methods include measurements, mathematical models and statistical inferences, which have different basics and rules.