Can and Should Sociology be Value Free. this essay is...

The term value neutrality was used by Weber to indicate the necessary objectivity researchers need when investigating problems in the natural sciences. Weber even though had introduced the term and accepted a scientific in the study of sociology, he did not believed that absolute objectivity is attainable. Weber said that value neutrality should be the primary aim in sociology but it cannot be obtained since sociology is the study of human behaviors and society thus making it prone to personal views and value judgments. He recognized that values would influence the choice of topics for study. The reason for his claim was, sociologists had to choose from the vast knowledge in sociology to be studied. Inevitably, this will result value†¦show more content†¦According to Max Weber, individuals view the world from a value laden perspective. It is impossible to exclude feelings, personal views and judgments, since human beings the subject matter for sociology have feelings, emotions and consciousness. For example, Karl Marx, the founder of Marxism believed that social stratification is not functional to society, defying many Functionalists claim. One can argue that Marx had just made a value judgment based on his own ideas on how the society should be run. It can also be argued that though social stratification is said to be supporting status quo, it is functional in maintaining social solidarity by providing the most important positions in society to the most highly motivated and qualified people. Values and facts in the study of sociology cannot be separated. According to Alvin Gouldner, similar to a Minotaur, where the bull and the man cannot be separated, values enter every stage in sociology. Sociologists would inevitably use the concept of domain assumption in their research. Domain assumption refers to the assumption made or things in the process of proving the theories that are taken for granted by the researches. Sociologists act on their taken for granted assumption. For example, functionalists claim that society is and will always be in the state of balanced and stabled. How do they know that society is always in the state of balance? Clearly theirShow MoreRelatedQuestions On Group And Team Terminology And Concepts From A Theoretical Perspective1516 Words   |  7 Pages1. Questions Related to Group Dynamics Introduction This assignment asks you to respond to a number of questions that address the more. Be sure to include citations in proper APA citation format and a reference list following the conclusion of the essay. This assignment is worth 15 percent of your final course grade. Purpose The purpose of this assignment is to further develop your knowledge of group and team terminology and concepts from a theoretical perspective. 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