1. Is sociology value free essay plan

2. Intro What is value freedom define it
Locate the debate: positivists + functionalists vs interpretivists + committed sociologists

3. Positivists: yes to all
Desire to be scientific- science is considered neutral/objective
Sociologists should remain morally neutral- their job is to judge it, uncover how the social system works – laws independent of individuals – external forces
Subjectivity contaminates research
Weber: ideal type: he maintains that although values enter into the choice of the topic once the sociology has chosen their research they can adopt a neutral framework to carry out their research. He calls this the ideal type- a methodological model which can be applied to a subject in order to carry out value free research

4. Functionalists: yes to all
Argued that value free sociological research was crucial because the objective knowledge that scientific sociology could be used to uncover the principles of good, ordered, integrated society
Thus, research should aim to be scientific or value free because otherwise it is unlikely to be taken seriously or have impact on social policy
Sees society as harmonious and has conservative values that favour the status quo
This could just be seen as a way to raise the credibility of sociology not to get the best research (a03)

5. Interpretivists: no to all
Sociology cannot and shouldn’t aim to be value free
To understand the reasons of social actors we need to use subjectivity, common sense, our own view of the world, verstehen
We act rather than react as conscious individuals
Cannot remain impartial as we all have our own thoughts from the minute the research begins it is linked to our views
It is misguided to screen our views
Cannot treat individuals as matter that is studied in science – different phenomena requires different outlook

6. Committed sociology – goulder – domain assumptions
Maintains that sociology can never be value free because we all hold domain assumptions
These are views that we all have about the world eg that poverty is due to laziness
It is impossible for us to detach ourselves from what we know about the world

7. Funding and power
Most of the points referring to funding maintain that they make sociology and natural sciences unable to be value free
Since the organisation that is funding the research will have vested interests which are shaped by society eg avandia
Gomm: sociology is a social action carried out by real people in the real world and the real world is characterised by conflicts of interests between social groups, come of whom are more powerful than others – feminism – patriarchy