VALUE FREEDOM

VALUE FREEDOM

1. for many sociologists values must enter research because sociologists are soc animals, what see, Qs ask and way interpret data influenced number soc/personal factors eg ethnicity, class, personality. Value freedom = values/beliefs of researcher don't enter research process and affect results

2. VALUE FREE SOCIOLOGY IS POSSIBLE AND DESIRABLE

   • appropriate meths used personal, theoretical and political views of research don't distort research, meths high reliability, quantified, replicated and open to critical interpretation by other sociologists
   • positivists suggest sociology can/should be no diff from studying phys sciences - both phys and soc sciences can be studied objectively
   • the founding fathers wanted value freedom and felt this possible, although Weber acknowledges subject choice subjective eg what marxists study influences by values but how this done can be objective

3. SOCIOLOGY IS INEVITABLY VALUE LADEN

   • value freedom myth even phys sciences, Kuhn - scientists influenced by paradigms these influence research and eval of conflicting findings eg many years med profession rejected/ridiculed acupuncture because didn't fit paradigm
   • sociologists live real world need money/reward work, values those allocate research funds determine direction soc enquiry, as research funding inc controlled by gov/comm orgs some research much less likely undertaken than others
   • for sociologists issue not just values researcher but subject matter, respondents also have values, attitudes influence way act and behave while subject research
   • Gouldner all influenced by 'domain assumptions' affect research meths chosen and types Q asked, eg domain assumptions func/marx different - profound effect research process
   • positivists claim objectivity using particular meths but simply imposes definition of social world in terms Qs asked/don't ask, interpretivist meths less likely preconceptions less subjective, biased and distorted, most effective value free meths those such obs allow researchers see soc world directly
   • pomo number points: firstly - criticise view rat/scientific thinking supported by quant ev = superior other ways understanding soc world, secondly - impossible produce objective, value free knowledge, knowledge = views one particular group

4. SOCIOLOGY SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO FIGHT FOR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS

   • marxists argue role of sociology uncover ways soc works in interests r/c, in doing this cap can be changed become aware exploitation/inequality present, Bowles and Gintis aim destroy myth meritocracy and Willis explains how w/c lads end up w/c jobs
   • fem argue sociology trad malestream, dom male views, concerns and approaches, many fem argue sociology not value free - now need expose male dom/bias not just to redress but to change soc/overcome patriarchy, research should involve women, subjects are co-researchers and helped see exploited situation
   • soc should be committed to changing soc, Becker argued sociology trad been on side of powerful, need see world from view of underdog as have no voice, such approach = new Qs/ideas, hence labelling theorists look effects pupil labelling particular ways or power of label mental patient
   • unless sociology used to change soc does it have any real purpose, sociology should not only describe how soc is but that soc can and should be different, sociology is not value free its used for change, hence soc research often underpins soc policy