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VALUES (SOCIOLOGY IS NOT VALUE FREE (POSTMODERNISTS (SOCIOLOGY IS JUST…
VALUES
SOCIOLOGY IS NOT VALUE FREE
POSTMODERNISTS
SOCIOLOGY IS JUST ANOTHER META-NARRATIVE CLAIMING ITS KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD IS BETTER THAN OTHER FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE
POSTMODERNISTS ARGUE: 1) THERE IS NO OBJECTIVE TRUTH AND ALL FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE ARE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS 2) ALL INVOLVE VALUES 3) NONE ARE MORE OBJECTIVE OR VALUABLE THAN OTHERS 4) ALL EQUALLY VALID
POSTMODERNIST
(LYOTARD AND BAUDRILLARD)
SUGGEST THAT SUBJECTIVITY / OBJECTIVITY AND VALUE-FREEDOM DEBATE SIMPLY REFLECTS THE VALUES AND ASSUMPTIONS OF COMPETING SOCIOLOGISTS
C = POSTVISTS
(COMTE AND DURKHEIM)
ARGUE THAT SOCIOOGY SHOULD BE VALUE FREE IN ORDER TO GIVE THE SUBJECT THE STATUS AND AUTHORITY THAT WOULD ENABLE IT TO BE RESEARCHED AS A SOURCE OF IMPARTIAL,OBJECTIVE INFORMATION AS THEN VALUE FREE SOCIOLOGY COULD PROVIDE FACTS THAT MIGHT BE USED TO INFLUE SOCIAL POLICY, IMPROVING THE WORLD
NOT DESIRBALE TO DO
COMMITED SOCIOLOGISTS
(MYRDRAL AND GOULDNER)
ARGUE THAT NEITHER IT'S POSSIBLE NOR DESIRABLE TO KEEP VALUES OUT OF RESEARCH
IN GOULDNER'S VIEW, VALUE FREE SOCIOLOGY IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE SOCIOLOGIST'S OWN VALUES ARE BOUND TO BE REFLECTED IN THEIR WORK / NOT DESIRABLE SINCE WITHOUT VALUES TO GUIDE THE RESEARCH, SOCIOLOGISTS ARE MERELY SELLING THEIR SERVICES TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER
MYRDRAL ARGUES THAT SOCIOLOGISTS SHOULD NOT ONLY SPELL OUT THEIR SIDES BUT OPENLY 'TAKE SIDES' BY ESPOUSING THE VALUES AND INTERESTS OF PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS
C = BECKER ARGUES THAT VALUES ARE ALWAYS PRESENTED IN SOCIOLOGY
INSTEAD OF SEEING THINGS FROM THE 'OVER-DOGS'; SOCIOLOGISRS SHOULD ADOPT A COMPASSIONATE STANCE AND THEREFORE TAKE SIDES OF THE UNDERDOGS BECAUSE LESS IS KNOWN ABOUT THEM AND THEIR STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD
EG: BY EMPATHISING WITH THE MENTAL PATIENT, WE CAN SHOW THE HIDDEN RATIONALITY OF BEHAVIOUR THAT THE PSYCHIATRIST THINKS OF AS IRRATIONAL
VALUES ENTERING SOCIOLOGY
VALUES GUIDE THE DECISION TO CARRY OUT RESEARCH
IN WEBER'S VIEW, WE CAN ONLY SELECT THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT WE REGARD AS IMPORTANT BASED ON OUR VALUES.
VALUES ARE THEREFORE ESSENTIAL IN ENABLING US TO SELECT WHICH ASPECT OF REALITY TO STUDY AND IN DEVELOPING CONCEPTS WITH WHICH TO UNDERSTAND THESE ASPECTS
EG: FEMINISTS VALUE GENDER EQUALITY AND THEREFORE THEY STUDY WOMEN'S OPPRESSION AND DEVELOP CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND IT
SUCH AS PATRIARCHY
THE PERSONAL PREJUDICES AND POLITICAL VIEWS OF A RESEARCHER MAY INFLUENCE THE SELECTION OF THE SUBJECTS STUDIED
C = WEBER ARGUES THAT SOCIOLOGISTS CAN THEN AFTERWARDS BE CAREFUL TO KEEP THEIR VALUES OUT OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS ONCE THEY HAVE CHOSEN THE TOPIC
EG: WHEN RESEARCHING WHY CRIMINALS COMMINT CRIME, THE SOCIOLOGIST SHOULD USE STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS AND AS QUESTIONS:
SUCH AS 'WHAT IS THE REASONING BEHIND THE CRIME YOU COMMITTED?'
WHEN COLLECTING DATA THIS CAN BE DONE BY USING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS AND ASKING NON-LEADING QUESTIONS
A SOCIOLOGIST MAY MAKE THEIR VIEEW PUBLIC AFTER RESEARCH HAS TAKEN PLACE
WEBER REJECTS THE VIEW THAT THE SOCIOLOGIST / SCIENTISTS JOB IS MERELY TO CONDUCT OBJECTIVE RESEARCH AND DISCOVER FACTS
HE INSTEAD ARGUES THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO HUMAN BEINGS, THEY MUST NOT DODGE THE MORAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES THEIR WORK RAISES BY HIDING BEHIND WORDS
SUCH AS: OBJECTIVITY AND VALUE FREEDOM
THEY MUST TAKE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HARM THEIR RESEARCH MAY DO
EG: EINSTEIN THEORY HELPED MAKE THE ATOMIC BOMB, YET HE SPOKE OUT AGAINST NUCLEAR WEAPONS
C = SCIENCE IS RATHER CONCERNED WITH MATTERS OF FACT AND NO VALUE - THEREFORE SOCIOLOGISTS SHOUDL REMAIN MORALLY NEUTRAL
THEIR JOB IS TO SIMPLY ESTABLISH THE TRUTH ABOUT PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOUR AND NOT TO JUDGE IT
THIS IS TO MAKE SOCIOLOGY RESPECTABLE AS SCIENCE SHAS A HIGH PRESTIGE IN MODERN SOCIETY