Malavika G NairAIR 45 · CSE 2024 · 197 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening
Sociology viewed by many of its founders as a positive science aspired to be value free.
Body · points
Views of Founders
Comte viewed sociology as a Positive Science: using scientific methods.
Durkheim developed social fact and scientific methodology in Rules of Sociological method.
Marx emphasis on Historical materialism rather than the 'geist' of Hegel.
Sociology is viewed as an objective science by [Parsons] which should be buid on empirical reality and explain social phenomena.
Close · a way forward
However, there are limitations to value free approach. [Weber] says objectivity is lost at choice of research subject itself which was validated by Prof. Schwab's study of 5000 papers.
Moreover, values creep in at the time of theoretical perspective e.g. Conflict based marxist view v/s functional view of same village Tepoztalan produced different conclusion.
Values should guide the researcher as without it the purpose of social research is gone - [C Wright Mills]. Eg: Lack of egalitarian values can suggest racist theories like Aryan Supremacy used by Nazis.
Thus, [Weber] advises sociologists to be value frank and focus on principles of value relevance etc. Explicitly stating values in research monograph, triangulation, methodological pluralism can improve objectivity while balancing value neutrality.