Sociology as a science - realism and positivism

Key difference between science and sociology

• Type of system

  • Sociology = open

  • Science = closed

3 reasons science is a closed system

1. Has observable structures that → effects that can be observed

2. Control over variables is high

3. Predictions are precise, e.g. lab experiments

2 reasons sociology is an open system

1. Variables are too complex and large-scale to measure and control

2. Predictions are not precise

Disagreement with positivism

• Doesn’t agree that science is only concerned with observable phenomena

  • E.g. black holes are unobservable yet can be observed by physicists

Is sociology a science?

• Yes

Why sociology is a science

• We observe unobservable phenomena like scientists and therefore can do this scientifically by observing their effects

  • Black holes = social class

    • E.g. we cannot observe social class/black holes but we can observe its effects on people/space

Way in which realists see Marxism as scientific

• Observes effects (e.g. poverty) of underlying systems (e.g. capitalism)

Way in which realists see interpretivism as scientific

• Interprets behaviour (effect) in terms of actors’ internal meanings (unobservable phenomenon)

2 realists

1. Keat

2. Urry

Sociology’s subject matter

• Social facts

Verificiationism

• Think of a theory that explains all observations

  • Use more observations to prove theory

    • Can then claim theory as a law

Process of inductive reasoning

• Discovering laws that determine how society works

• Accumulation of data about world → more knowledge → more patterns → predict events to guide policies

Explanation of patterns

• All patterns can be explained by finding facts that cause them

  • Material deprivation (fact) → educational failure (pattern)

Scientific implications of social facts

• Show that sociology is a unique subject matter that can be explained scientifically

Durkheim

• Real laws are discoverable, e.g.:

  • Social facts of level of integration and regulation (real law) → suicide rate

Relationship between social facts and people

• Social facts manipulate people like puppets on strings

Positivist view on science

• Like its explanation of the natural world

• Also like that it extends human control over nature

Should we use scientific methods to study sociology?

• YES

Why should we use scientific methods to study sociology?

• Nature and society are both objective, factual realities which are patterned

  • We then need to explain these patterns

Use of quantitative data

• To study cause-and-effect laws and test hypotheses in a systematic and controlled way

Researchers

• Detached and objective because could contaminate research

  • Because in science, scientists values/opinions make no difference to the outcome of research

Goal of knowledge

• Game true objective knowledge to solve problems and progress

Is sociology a science?

• YES

• Objectively study social facts

  • Predict behaviour

  • Guide policy

  • Discover laws

Type of data

• Reliable, aka checked by others

2 CRITICISMS of positivism — interpretivism

1. Inadequate

2. Unsuited to study humans