Even so, positivists would argue that social facts are like facts in natural science which can be objectively observed and measured. By using statistical data, positivists believe it is possible to classify the social world in an objective way. This is because they argue that statistical analysis can reveal correlations, causation and ultimately laws of human behavior just like laws of nature such as Newton’s third Law of Motion. For example, the study of suicide conducted by Emile Durkheim. By analyzing suicide statistics, Durkheim found causal and correlation relationship between external social forces with suicide, as in fact the law governing suicide rate. His studies show that suicide rate rises during economic booms or slumps as they brought the uncertainty of anomie which led Durkheim to conclude that the act of suicide is the result of human’s reaction towards external stimuli. Therefore, positivists argue that since social facts are like scientific facts which can be objectively observed and measured, scientific methodology can and should be appropriate to sociology.
On the other hand, phenomenologist would reject the view and argue that statistical facts are mere categorization based on stereotypes and taken-for-granted assumptions. For example, phenomenologist sees Durkheim as making assumptions by categorizing statistics into different type of suicides. They do not believe it is possible to objectively measure and classify the facts of the world. To phenomenologist, human beings make sense of the world by imposing meanings and classifications upon it, in the sense that interpretations of facts are dependent on subjective judgment. For instance, a fact to a person does not necessarily be a fact to another. Hence, phenomenologists argue that there is no objective reality beyond these subjective meanings.
Furthermore, Max Weber rejects the possibility of finding laws of human behavior as well as the causal and correlation relationship of a behavior as he argues that individual possess different meanings and motives to their actions. Weber identified various types of action that are distinguished by the meanings attached, those being the affective, emotional, traditional and rational action. These actions are attached with subjective meanings which cannot be measured objectively. As such, Weber argues that instead of adopting scientific methodology, understanding of human behaviors can be achieved through Verstehen. Therefore, Weber argues that sociology should not adopt the methods of science.
However, feminist would argue that even if sociology adopts scientific methodology, the date collected will still be unobjective. Feminist claimed that science is a male world where women have always been exploited or excluded. For example, Hilary rose stated that it is male science that seeks to control women’s fertility through contraception and childbirth. As well as Sandra Harding who argued that male central science claimed to have prone women as biologically and socially inferior to men. Therefore, feminist argue that sociology is just as unobjective even if it emulates the achievements and aspirations of natural science as it itself is bias.
Though, Medawar argues that, in practice, scientist may be less objective as they claimed to be. The method of scientific research may not follow logical pattern. For example, in Michael Lynch’s laboratory research on rat’s brain functioning, he found that scientist collect and adjusts data to confirm theories rather than seeking to test their ideas of objectivity.
Other than that, Thomas Kuhn argued that sociology cannot and should not be a science as it is pre-paradigmatic. Paradigm is a complete theory and framework within which scientists operate. Kuhn argues that although there are many paradigms or perspective in sociology such as positivism, phenomenologist and realism, there is a lack of consensus within a particular perspective. For example, feminism is divided into radical and liberal feminism. As such, it appears that a single paradigm, a complete theory and framework within which sociologist operate has not yet been mutually accepted. Therefore, Kuhn argues that sociology cannot be a science as it is pre-scientific.
Nonetheless, despite arguments of positivists, it seems inappropriate for sociological studies to confine itself to study the observable, to ignore the subjective, to try to falsify theories or to make precise predictions. Realist stressed that there are similarities between social and natural science. Russell Keat and John Urry argue that science does not confine itself to study the observable phenomena. For example, natural science deals with unobservable like sub-atomic particles just like sociology deals with unobservable human consciousness.
In addition, Realist, Andrew Sayer suggests that since sociology deals more with open systems whereas science deals with closed system as objects of study such as laboratory experiment, hence, it is not justified to expect the same level of accuracy in sociology as in science. In fact, natural science cannot make prediction within precision too and sometimes, the cause of phenomena is only known from their effects and not solely based on observation. For example, meteorologist cannot predict the weather with anything like absolute precision. Similarly to science, sociology cannot be expected to be able to predict what divorce rate will be in five years time.
Besides, Auguste Comte’s view that sociology should be a science. He believes that scientific knowledge about society could be accumulated and uses to improve human existence so that society could be run rationally without religion or superstition getting in the way of progress. Moreover, through scientific methodology, sociological knowledge obtained can be more credible as it is empirically, rigorously, and systematically tested. Hence, Comte argues that sociology should be a science.
As a matter of fact, Karl Popper sees it as highly desirable that sociological research method can be based on methods of natural science. However, he argued that science must adopt the deductive method where facts are only admitted into a theory through the process of falsification. Science must abandon the inductive method of attempting to make theories fit facts. For example, although 999 white swans may have been observed floating past a point on river, it is illogical to assume the next swan will also be white. Therefore, popper suggests that science itself can strive to be a more rigorous science.
Withal, whether or not sociology can or should be a science depends on how science is defined. If science is narrowly defined as in the case of Popper, it is very difficult for sociology to meet the expectation and standard demanded. However, if it is much more broadly defined as Realist, then sociology can be a science.
