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UPSC SOCIOLOGY – Paper 1 – Chapter 2 – Sociology as Science – Positivist and Non- positivist methodologies.
Some Sociologists contend that Sociology as a discipline uses facts objectively. Others argue that values are inherent in any sociological investigation. Thus, Fact, Value and Objectivity are terms which are of great debate and significance in Sociology.
FACT
- Derived from Latin word factum which means ‘something made or done’.
- A fact is an empirically verifiable observation that can be agreed upon as real, definite and inconvertible.
- Facts can be perceived by our tactical and audio-visual senses.
- Objective facts constitutes the subject matter of natural sciences.
- Similar attempts were also made in Sociology. Eg: Durkheim gave the concept of social facts.
- But there is no agreement even among Sociologists themselves that which social facts are universal.
- There is difficulty in understanding and defining social facts.
- Human consciousness cannot be measured against dry factual standards.
VALUE
- It is the subjective disposition arising out of experiences, bias, preferences and beliefs.
- Values can be personal, cultural, temporal and situation specific.
- They guide our objectives, goals, means for such goals and our actions.
- Values are a medium of social control.
- Social research has to take into account the value component as well.
- If Sociologists will not promote social values, Sociology will be dominated by the values of the ruling class.
OBJECTIVITY
- An approach in which attitude of an investigator is detached, unprejudiced, value free and free from biases.
- It focuses upon a goal or the object and avoids distractions.
- Objectivity means that conclusions arrived at as a result of inquiry and investigation are independent of the race, colour, occupation, religion, moral preferences and political predisposition of the investigator
- Hence, objectivity pre-supposes value neutrality and predictability about outcome.
- Eg: Use of scientific methods like Verstehen.
- Since Sociological Investigation involves multiple stages, objectivity is required in all those stages – Choice of topic and problem, Collection of facts, interpretation of facts and formulation of theories.
- Proponents of objectivity earlier argued that sociologists should refrain from entering into questions of what ought to be but instead focus on explaining what is.
CONCLUSION
- Objectivity attempts to eliminate values – a task difficult to achieve while dealing with human beings.
- Contemporary researchers give due weight to objectivity but at the same time recognised the futility of trying to wish away value influence completely from their research.
- One can accept the prevailing values of the society and still remain objective in one’s approach.