August Comte
- Introduction & Thesis Statement
In an effort to come up with a theorizing process that was value free, August Comte came up with the theory of positivism. Positivism sought to eliminate bias, in theory and research, which inclined towards the dominant socio-political forces within society. This paper seeks to support the central thesis that Comte came up with positivism to create a value free study of the social sciences whereby the dominant forces of the status quo was challenged through three important strategies. These include the deconstruction of dominant structures and institutions, separation of the status quo from the process of knowledge formation, and the use of epistemological and empirical study methods employed in the social sciences.
- Set of Arguments
First, Comte’s positivist theory sought to deconstruct the hierarchical structures that are existence in the social strata. Comte like other sociologist believed that the norms and beliefs within society were based on the dominant paradigm which was composed of the most influential forces within society. These force arbitrarily disregarded the minority forces within society.Vissing (2011) writes that “the functionalists felt society worked best when there was homeostasis or equilibrium, which sometimes meant that the people in power (status quo) remained unchallenged”(Vissing, 2011, Ch.1.3). This means that the social institutions and structures within society were not reflective of the truth and reality. These social institutions arbitrarily disregarded the minority within society and embraced the dominant socio-political forces that were present within society.
Second, Comte came up with positivism because he believed that the status quo within the society affected the process of knowledge formation. Considering that society is the center of knowledge formation, the dominant forces within society influenced both the process of knowledge formation and also the act of theorizing. This means that the theories that were formed prior to the inception of positivism were not value free because they were based on the opinions and values of the status quo.
Third, Comte’s positivism theory sought to base theories and research on empirical data that is used in the natural sciences is not based on a dominant paradigm (Lundberg, 1939, p.43). The data is based on the observations that are evident from the experimental samples that are under study. This means that the opinions of the dominant forces do not entirely shape the results that are derived from the natural sciences. The results are based on raw data that is not manipulated by different forces within society. The analytical methods that are involved in positivism are more quantitative as opposed to the qualitative methods that are evident in normative methods that are employed in the social sciences. In the case of quantity research and theorizing methods, which positivism advocates for, the inferences and conclusions are based on trends and patterns that are generated through the observation of empirical data. Qualitative methods are based on generalization, which do not take into account the outliers that might not fit into the model that is based on the generalization.
- Marxism as an Example of Hierarchies created by generalizations.
For example, Marxism theory argued that the society was structured in a way that it had two entities. These entities included the national bourgeoisie, which was composed of the wealthy people in society. These people owned land and other resources within society. The second group was composed of the cosmopolitan proletariats, which consisted of the poor people in society. The poor people in society acted as the appendages of production. They constituted the industrial working class and they ran different industries. However, the profits that were ploughed from these industries did not benefit the poor in society. Instead, the national bourgeoisie stood to benefit from the labor offered by the cosmopolitan proletariats.
Marxists referred to this phenomenon as exploitation. Marxists extrapolated the concept of exploitation to the international system where they argued that third countries would remain poor because of their constant exploitation by western industrialized nations through processes such as colonialism, neo-colonialism, and the activity of multi-national enterprises(MNE’s) in third world nations. In the 1950’s when this generalization was made by Marxists was made it seemed rational. However, the generalization did not hold over time because in the 1980’s third world nations such as China and Singapore begun to rise economically surpassing some of the western industrialized nations. This turn of events has over time rendered Marxist theory as being outdated and obsolete. This is a clear indication that Comte’s idea of positivism was meant to strengthen the social sciences so that research and the theorizing process are based on empirical data and not generalizations. This is because generalizations create a hierarchy that makes it easier for critics of different theories and research methodologies that are based on non-positivist methods.
- Conclusion & Reinstatement of Thesis Statement
In conclusion, Comte came up with positivism to enhance a value-free study of the social sciences. Comte was able to enhance this process through three important strategies. These processes include: the deconstruction of dominant structures and institutions, separation of the status quo from the process of knowledge formation, and the use of epistemological and empirical study methods employed in the social sciences.
References
Lundberg, G. A. (1939, February). Contemporary Positivism in Sociology. American Sociological Review, 4(1), 42-55. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2084993?seq=2
Vissing, Y., (2011). An introduction to Sociology. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
