The Premises or Bases of Sociology

In the modern diverse often contradictory social theories bare based on important premises. In addition, they tend to focus on different social issues, which they consider valuable or important. They are based on positivism or anti-positivism, determinism or free will, collectivism or individualism and above all the importance of social structure and agency and their importance of social phenomenon in all facets of social life. 

In this article I will discuss, these bases and their importance in the context of current social issues such as dynamic social changes, underdevelopment, globalization, inequality, social instability in at least some parts of the world, terrorism and political instability.

In addition, I will discuss these bases on the basis of modernity and post modernity and the current environmental issues facing the whole world and the current economic problems in advanced and developing world.

The viability of positivism and anti-positivism in social theories in the context of current social issues

The positivism assumes the scientific method can be applied to study social world and it assumes the study can be value free. However, even social researcher has to live with believes and values and it may be constructed by dominant social classes and some social issues can be neglected and their interpretation need not be rational or value free and can tend to be conforming with the values of status-quo. In addition, it may assume the surface features are real and may not uncover hidden aspects of the real social forces or how they are constructed by the present social structure and classes. It may in this sense may concentrate research not on inequality and social justice issues as well because it assumes it is value laden. In contrast the anti-positivist stance or premise the limitations of positivist premises and its applicability to study the social world and propose other methods combined with empirical methods as a viable method to study social world.

Inequality is present in all societies but in different degrees and neglecting them as an important social issue is and not adequate as sociological prime motive is to study important social issues and to suggest ways to improve the social well-being of society.

In this context and discussed above considering the limitations of positivism to study the social world it is important to consider a combination or anti-positivist premises is important to study the current social issues fully and adequately to explain these social issues fully and devise polices to address these issues.