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It is said that science has no intrinsic value. In contrast to scientists, metaphysicians can deal with values, but only if the values are treated as facts. As a result, science emphasises the importance of data.
What is a Fact?
“An empirically verifiable observation,” as defined by Goode and Hatt, is what constitutes a fact. These are the situations or circumstances where there appears to be no legitimate room for debate.
Characteristics of Facts
A fact refers to something that actually happened
It can be tested with the use of the scientific method
It is impossible to deny its existence because it speaks of “is” rather than “ought”, which implies a preference
A fact is a verifiable fact
What is Value?
Social science data is heavily influenced by people’s subjective opinions about what is right and wrong. Comparative historical surveys measure shifts in values within a cultural system, for example, and the study of socialisation is nothing more than that.
Characteristics of Values
Because value judgments are nothing more than codified statements of culturally ingrained feelings and preferences, they hold a fundamental place in social science. Positive or negative preferences are thus expressed in terms of values.
Values cannot be treated as facts since they are linked to the ‘ought’ and ‘nought’ of things; hence they cannot be considered facts. Many people believe that people should always be guided by their ideals of a ‘good life,’ while others believe that people should be guided by the notion of the self-imposed categorical imperative. As opposed to an is-form assertion, a value is a premise with an ought-form. One way to describe the study of values is “axiology,” which focuses on the epistemological and metaphysical dimensions of what is considered a value.
There is no such thing as a universal set of values that can be applied to all people equally. A value judgement is not a statement about the person making the assessment. As a result of this analysis, the terms we use to make value judgments do not actually designate any property of the objects they are predicted; instead, they reveal a relationship between the speaker and those objects.
Based on Preliminary Study
Rather than being “True” or “False”, values are all about Right and Wrong.
To put it another way, value plays a significant role in a company’
Values are necessary for human civilization since they provide the cultural context for any social and political analysis. This cultural framework is a prerequisite for social analysis; thus, it cannot be put on hold.
Helpful in the planning and implementation of social programs and policies
Facts are not everything, but values can supplement them.
Our core values guide behaviours.
What is Objectivity?
In scientific research, objectivity is a must. When it comes to sociology as a science, the goal should be to be objective. Subjective and objective data are both important in conducting research.
Objectivity definition
In an objective study, the researcher’s mental state has no bearing on the study, and the subject matter is observed in its proper context, regardless of the researcher’s mental state.
It is important to understand objectivity’s meaning. When an observer is an objective, they are not swayed by their own personal feelings or opinions. To put it another way, the ability to perceive and accept facts as they are without being swayed by popular belief, popular perception, or one’s own desires is what it means to be objective.
So that the biases, preferences, or predictions of social scientists are not reflected in collecting data, objectivity is a ‘frame of mind.’ The scientific study may only be described as objective if it is free of ideological prejudices based on race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. In social science research, the need for objectivity has been highlighted by all major sociologists.
When conducting sociological research, sociologists are expected to recognise and admit their own values and overcome their personal prejudices. On the other hand, Gunnar Myrdal believed that complete objectivity is an impossible ideal to attain. Considering that any study is influenced by the “viewpoints” of its participants, which inherently incorporates subjectivity. If the findings of a study are objective, they do not reflect biases or prejudices based on one’s own personal background or beliefs. To be objective, one’s study must be free of any personal bias or desires he might have.
Conclusion
To be value-neutral does not imply that one has no opinions. It simply means that when analysing data, sociologists must work to overcome their personal biases, particularly their own unconscious biases. This means avoiding data manipulation to suit a predetermined outcome for sociologists, such as a political or moral viewpoint. A smart sociologist can minimise the impact of objectivity in any given sociological study, even though it is inevitable.
Some sociologists argue that the facts used in Sociology are unbiased. As a matter of fact, some claim that values are intrinsic in sociological research. These concepts (fact, value, and objectivity) are of tremendous controversy and importance in sociology.
It is difficult to erase values when dealing with human beings, which is why objectivity is so difficult to attain in practice. In modern research, impartiality is valued, yet researchers have realised that it is impossible to remove value from their findings completely. Even if one agrees with society’s dominant values, one can maintain objectivity in one’s approach.
