Sociology as a science

Question 1

Key features of science

Answer 1

• Objectivity

- Scientists are value-free, therefore knowlege is objectively true, anyone can repeat experiments test results

Question 2

Positivism

Answer 2

• SOCIOLOGY IS A SCIENCE:
• Inductive approach - Start with evidence and then derive theory.
• Say that sociology is objective
• Say that sociology is value free
• Popper - falsification

Question 3

Positivism - Durkheims suicide (1897)

Answer 3

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Question 4

Interpretivism

Answer 4

• SOCIOLOGY IS NOT A SCIENCE
• Say that it is subjective and therefore can’t be a science
• Say that sociology is not value free

Question 5

Positivism - Popper

Answer 5

• Argued that experiments should try to prove the hypothesis wrong
  
  • Called ‘falsifying’
• The idea is that a hypothesis can’t be proved 100% correct but can be proved wrong in one piece of evidence.
• E.g. the hypothesis that all swans are white is not proven by seeing one white swan but is proven as being wrong when seeing one black swan