Value Freedom

Question 1

Can sociology be studied in a value free way, the three main arguments are:

Answer 1

1. Sociology should be and can be value free
2. Sociology cannot be value free
3. Sociology should not be value free, even if it were possible

Question 2

Key argument 1: A value free society

Answer 2

Positivists like Comte and Durkheim believe objectivity is possible and therefore they tried to establish the subject as a science, and such, sociology can then be used to influence social policy and improve the world

Question 3

Key argument 2: A value free sociology is not possible

Answer 3

It is impossible for any natural or social scientist to avoid the influence of values completely e.g. their academic training, the paradigm or perspective they have learnt for interpreting and evaluating evidence, their assumptions about society, their beliefs
Sociological assumptions are value laden:
Positivists believe that society exists as an objective reality- social structures mould and constrain individual behaviour, whilst interpretivists believe society is socially constructed by the actions of individuals
Therefore it is impossible for sociology to be value free, value freedom is a myth

Question 4

Key argument 3: A value free sociology is not desirable, we must be value committed

Answer 4

Even if a value free sociology were possible, it would not be desirable

Question 5

Gouldner- Committed sociology

Answer 5

• suggests not only that value freedom is impossible, but that it is undesirable
• attempting to be value free only serves the career interests of the sociologists
• preteninfh to be value free and not taking sides support the powerful in an unequal society
• the idea is committed sociology is that sociologist should not only state their values but also they should make value judgements especially when they find injustice

Question 6

Becker- “Whose side are we on?”

Answer 6

• all sociology is influenced by values, by not choosing to take a side the sociologists are favouring the powerful against less powerful
• Becker argues that traditional sociologists especially positivists and functionalists have tended to take the viewpoint of the powerful
• Becker argues that instead of seeing things from the perspective of the “overdog” a sociologist should be compassionate and focus on the “underdog”

Question 7

Key argument 4: Relativism

Answer 7

If we think it is impossible to destaco ourselves from our research, this leads to a position called relativism. This is often adopted by postmodernists
Relativism argues that:
- different groups, culture and individuals including sociologists have different views of the world and what is true
- there is no independent way of judging whether any view is truer than another
Relativism argues there is no absolute or objective truth, just what you believe is true for you

Question 8

Weber

Answer 8

His view was that values play a considerable part in the research process
1. Values can’t (and shouldn’t) be avoided when choosing the topic to research, but values and personal prejudices should never be allowed to enter the research process itself
2. Values and personal prejudices should be considered when examining the ethics of research
3. Findings should be open to inspection, criticism, debate and testing by other researchers, so researchers must be open and clear about their own values so that any distortion or manipulation, whether intended or not can be checked by others