Can sociology be value free?

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  • can sociology be value free?
    • yes it can be value free
      • earlier positivists (comte and durkiem)
        • uncovering social facts means social problems can be fixed
        • social facts are quantitative and macro
        • objective certainty about whats best for society
      • later positivists
        • problem takers not problem makers
        • should have no moral backbone
        • establish trth about behaviour not praise or condemn it
    • no it cant be value free (value laden)
      • gouldner and weber
        • taking sides is important, shouldn't sit on fence, moral responsibilty
      • gouldner- funding bodies and career prospects
        • funding boides control direction and career aspirations influence choice of topic
      • functionalists
        • support conservative values
          • affect choice of topic, method and conclusion
      • marxists
        • raise awareness of oppression result in revolution
          • affect choice of topic, method and conclusion
      • feminists
        • want to improve lives of women, study domestic violence, ****
      • it is desirable to let values influence research (committed sociology)
        • committed sociology
          • should use compassion in deciding what and how to research in order to improve lives
          • by not choosing a side, choosing the side of the powerful
        • becker- whos side are we on
          • compassionate stance of the underdog and give them a voice
        • weber
          • vales important in selection topic, interpreting, dealing with findings. but shouldn't influence collection

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