Suchergebnisse

Two tendencies can be traced in the work of various specialists in the human sci's: (1) an idealist tendency (historical and qualitative), & (2) a positivist & quantitative tendency on the other. To the latter belong the majority of contemporary sociol'ts, while historians belong in general to the first. But a recent evolution has tended, on the theoretical level, to bring about a rapprochement between the two points of view since the formulation of the theses of historical materialism. This evolution is parallel to that taking place in the natural sci's, where a distinction is no longer made between the study of particles & the fields of force in which they exist. Furthermore, experience has shown that there exist inevitable interactions between the observer & the matter observed, which has incurred some doubts as to the validity of the concept of objectivity. In applying here the concepts of sci'fic methodology inspired by the physical sci's, one could henceforth rank sociol'ts in 2 groups: those who attempt to establish a general classification &-formulate laws, &-those who adhere to the functional theory of fields of influence. The 1st method can only produce approximate & limited results, & has already been surpassed. We must adopt the 2nd, & not consider the soc unity studied independently of the field in which it exists: sociol must thus orient itself toward a functional ecology. It will then be led to utilize new methods putting more emphasis on induction, & working hypo's having, as yet, only a provisional character. (Translated by Z. Dana from IPSA).