Discuss your understanding of positivism, answering the following questions:
What assumptions did the positivist perspective in sociology make about studying society?
What weaknesses led later sociologists to abandon positivism?
What kinds of perspectives replaced positivism?
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Positivism
Full Answer Section
Weaknesses of Positivism
The positivist perspective has been criticized for a number of weaknesses, including:
- The assumption that the social world is objective is problematic. The social world is not as objective as the natural world, and it is often difficult to separate the observer from the observed.
- The assumption that social phenomena can be explained by causal laws is also problematic. Social phenomena are often complex and there are often multiple causes for a single outcome.
- The goal of sociology to improve society is often seen as unrealistic. Sociology is a social science, and it is not always possible to use knowledge to solve social problems.
- Interpretivism: Interpretivism is a perspective that argues that the social world is subjective and that it can only be understood through the interpretation of human meaning.
- Critical theory: Critical theory is a perspective that argues that sociology should be used to critique the existing social order and to help bring about social change.
- Postmodernism: Postmodernism is a perspective that argues that there is no single truth and that all knowledge is socially constructed.
Sample Answer
Positivism is a philosophical and methodological paradigm that assumes that the only reliable knowledge comes from empirical observation and that everything that is not observable is not worthy of study. In the social sciences, positivism is often associated with the belief that sociology should be a science that uses the same methods as the natural sciences to study society.
Assumptions of Positivism
The positivist perspective in sociology makes the following assumptions about studying society:
- The social world is objective and can be studied using the same methods as the natural world. This means that sociologists can use objective methods, such as surveys and experiments, to collect data about society.
- Social phenomena can be explained by causal laws. This means that sociologists can identify the causes of social phenomena and use this knowledge to predict future behavior.
- The goal of sociology is to develop a body of knowledge that can be used to improve society. This means that sociologists should use their knowledge to solve social problems and make society a better place.
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