Yaksh ChaudharyAIR 6 · CSE 2021 · 176 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
Weber defined Ideal type as a mental and conceptual tool formed by selecting few elements from reality and accentuating and exaggerating some of them to understand and approximate reality.
Body · continuous prose
Verstehen approach is used to make deep understanding of the social phenomenon. It involves the interpretation of meanings and motives behind the social actions of the actors.
Weber advocated that usage of Verstehen ensures objectivity in the social research and also bridges the gap between subjectivity and objectivity.
According to Weber, reality is vast and chaotic and all the facets of this reality can't be studied. Along with this, the social actions of the actors are driven by meanings and motives. Verstehen is used to decode these meanings and motives and explain the social world in an unambiguous and intelligible way.
Weber defined 4 types of authorities and also made ideal type of protestant ethic and spirit of capitalism Ideal types using the Verstehen approach.
Close
Hence essentially Verstehen is used to explain Ideal type. However, critics say that objectivity might not be ensured through Verstehen and it.