interactionism & postmodernism Flashcards
view on sociology as a science
-sociology isn’t comparable to natural world
-mistake to transfer methods from one to another
why is sociology not a science?
-the study of society happens through language, cannot be observed directly
-sociologists must study meaning, meaning is not objective
-no solid basis for scientific sociology
-without subjective states sociology is worthless
-precise predictions are constantly proved wrong, discrediting sociology
views on popper and durkheim
they are wrong bc humans are unpredictable
is science actually scientific?
-other ways of knowing the world are seen as inferior
-always concepts that can’t be answered
-scientists are deluded to think science can be separated from the social world it was produced in
why is science underfire?
- science doesn’t match the criteria for science
-view of seeing science as supplier of superior knowledge has been questioned
Bloor
science is shaped by social factors that would influence what was accepted as true or false e.g. smoking was seen as good for you
Weber
-values are important in sociological research
-social facts don’t tell us how society should work, values do
example of values in social action
stats show us that more divorces are happening, but this doesn’t mean that marriage isn’t valued, could be that divorce is too easy etc
how is society built?
-on different value judgements
-therefore value free study of social facts isn’t useful in studying society
why is all research value laden?
-the choice of the topic depends on its importance to the researcher, funder etc
Verstehen
to understand society we must understand subjective, value laden opinions, thoughts, emotions and meanings
research after the choice of topic:
-should be objective without bias, but the interpretation of this doesn’t have to be done objectively
Gouldner (interpretivism)
-impossible to be free from value judgement
-value freedom dehumanises sociologists
-sociologists confuse moral neutrality w/ indifference
Myrdal (interpretivism)
-impossible and undesirable to be value free
-sociologists should be value committed and ‘take sides’ e.g. marxists
-by being value free they’re ‘researchers for rent’
Becker (interpretivism)
-all knowledge is political so sociologists must choose sides
-sociology should side with the disadvantaged, therefore value laden and value committed
