Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:19:46 +0300 (EET DST)
From: j laari <jlaari-AT-cc.jyu.fi>
Subject: Re: Sociology or epistemology ?


Greetings!

I think this is as good point to "contribute" to discussion than any
other:

> The only epistemology that sociologists need is to be convincing in
> there empirical works.

I don't think any kind of empirical work as such makes a substitute
for epistemology. Rather it's methodology that's sociological
counterpart to epistemology in philosophy. I think you were aiming at
this. It's the same thing with "metaphysics" or "ontology" proper:
we'd better concentrate on sociological theory instead of trying to
provide empirical arguments to logical problems.

Part of the problem is of course that PB himself is trained in
philosophy instead of sociology. It's understandable that he tends to
talk about ontological issues and such. And he had something to say
about, say, "social ontology" (remember his criticisms of
neokantianism in his book on theory of practice,
"Outline"-and-something in English). However it's our job to notice
the differences between these two "fields" and act accordingly. It
doens't make any sense to repeat the results of latest survey to
someone who tries to figure out whether "Being" (all-that/what-is) is
basically "ideal" or "material"...

Yours, Jukka L

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