| Abstrakt: |
Canonized by Max Weber's "Science as a Vocation", the distinction between fact and value and the principle of Wertfreiheit (value freedom) has become foundational to sociological practice. In scientific discourse, facts refer to observed information that is both verifiable and reliable. A fact denotes "the real." Values variously defined are conceptualized as part of an unobservable subjective realm. The epistemological assumptions supporting this position are rarely problematized. Considering the philosophical influences upon Weber's sociology, I view the fact/value dichotomy as an artificat of the Kantian separation of subject and object. Pragmatist philosophy offers an alternative to the Western tradition of dualism. A comparison of pragmatism with Weber's verstehende Soziologie reveals a surprising number of affinities providing an framework for the unification of fact and value. Using freedom as a paradigm case, I demonstrate the significance of recognizing this unity for empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
