Subjectivity, Objectivity & Value Freedom

Question 1

Value Freedom

Answer 1

debate about if possible for socios to = VF - everyone hold values = ? over extent personal v’s do/don’t affect prod of knowledge
Comte - X socio should be used to solve soc probs
Pos - yes X for socios to fix soc but to study as aca pursuit - doc soc processes & trends = role of pols to act on findings

Question 2

Marx

Answer 2

saw self as sci & believed meth of historical analy could reveal line of development of human soc - evolu thro series of dif types of class based soc leading to future classless soc - therefore takes for granted the value of the idea of com soc - X VF

Question 3

Weber

Answer 3

makes NB distinc between value judgement & facts - value X = proved/ disp by facts - value j’s impact research decide to take wants socios to be obj when collecting data values = NB when interp

Question 4

Objectivity

Answer 4

idea socios deal w/ facts X just opinions - data collection process = uncoloured by personal feelings
in terms of meth involves idea that the concept of obj becomes a philos / ideo that argues we can define a reality that exists apart from the conciousness of indu soc actors = objectivism belief soc world consists of soc strucs that act to channel & control ppl’s behaviour eg class system

Question 5

Subjectivity

Answer 5

allows v’s to intrude into data collection in a way that creates bias
involves idea the concept of subj becomes a philos that believes all know = subj = X external/obj test of truth = subjectivism - human conciousness = sig in way we exper world = impos to separate v’s = no reality outside of the way we exper things

Question 6

Should Research be Objective?

Answer 6

obj consid to = sci - needs to: devise hypoth that expl rela between observable phenom, collect data sysm & test hypoth against data - falsification