There are no qualitative methods – nor quantitative for that matter: the misleading rhetoric of the qualitative–quantitative argument

Abstract

This article is about the comprehensive but meaningless rhetoric encircling the pseudo issue of quantitative–qualitative method. Two questions get clarification in this article. First, what does the term method mean, and second, what constraints should be attached to the term when moving into the theory and practice of science. Based on an examination of these two, we subsequently address the question of what the quantitative–qualitative argument is about. Our reasoning leads to the conclusion that the quantitative–qualitative argument should be removed from the agenda, so that significant and important a priori choices may be given due attention instead.