sociology debates

• sociology is value free

  positivists - Comte:

  sociology should adopt methodology of natural sciences. use quantitative data. aim to be objective and detached.
• sociology is value laden

  interpretivists - weber:

  it is impossible to detach yourself from your values. your values will influence the topic and method chosen.
• sociology is value laden

  value commitment - becker and gouldner:

  the whole point of sociology is to change society to make it better. we should be committed to values.

  for example, feminists researching women.
• sociology is value laden

  postmodernists

  there is no such thing as an objective truth. value freedom does not exist.
• sociology is value free

  practical strategies

  -scrutinizing the research in the way its been conducted

  -giving findings back to check accuracy

  -for example, colleagues checking your work.
• sociology is a science

  positivists - Comte:

  -the way it is studied and scientific nature makes it a science.

  -cause and effect relationships.
• sociology is a science

  marx

  -his theory regarding the development of capitalism is scientific since it can be tested on a certain level.
• sociology is a science

  durkheim

  -we should look at social facts as things so we can objectively establish relationships

  -social facts are the values, beliefs and institutions that underpin society.
• durkheim study of suicide rates

  -he found suicide rates were oppositely corresponding to level of social integration

  -low levels of social integration were more likely to commit suicide

  -he used statistical evidence
• sociology is not a science

  interpretivists - weber:

  -human behaviour holds meaning and can’t solely be studied on scientific methods

  essential to interpret meaning attached to situations in order to understand society
• sociology is not a science

  paradigms - kuhn:

  -paradigms are a set of beliefs or ideas.

  -they provide a framework for a better understanding of the world

  limits questions asked in scientific research
• sociology is not a science

  falsification - popper:

  -for a truly scientific approach, the researcher should attempt to prove their hypothesis as untrue.

  -he argues positivists find evidence that only supports their hypothesis
• all swans are white - popper


  -the hypothesis will only be correct if your only looking for white swans

  -you need to look for a black swan to test hypothesis