The Craft of Sociology: Epistemological PreliminariesThe work of the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu has emerged, over the last two decades, as one of the most substantial and innovative bodies of theory and research in contemporary social science. The Craft of Sociology, both a textbook and an original contribution to epistemology in social science, focuses on a basic problem of sociological research: the necessity of an epistemological break with the preconstructed objects social practice offers to the researcher. Pierre Bourdieu and his co-authors argue in the epistemological tradition of scholars like Bachelard, Canguilhem, Koyre, a tradition that identifies the construction of the object as being the fundamental scientific act. Their way of discussing the issue makes it accessible not only to academics and experts of epistemology, but also to advanced students of social science, using for illustration a wide range of texts from the various social sciences as well as from philosophy of science. The book includes an interview with Pierre Bourdieu and an introduction by the editor to his sociological methodology. |
Contents
IntroductionEpistemology and methodology | 1 |
Part TwoConstructing the object | 33 |
Part ThreeApplied rationalism | 57 |
ConclusionSociology of knowledge | 69 |
Remarks on the choice of texts | 80 |
IntroductionEpistemology and methodology | 91 |
Émile Durkheim Sociology and the Social Sciences | 117 |
66 | 133 |
Part TwoConstructing the object | 147 |
Part ThreeApplied rationalism | 201 |
ConclusionSociology of knowledge | 233 |
have come to know all | 247 |
List of texts | 261 |
8220 | 262 |
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Common terms and phrases
able abstract according action acts analogy analysis appear applied authors Bachelard basis become break called concepts concrete constitute construction cultural define definition determine distinct Durkheim effect empirical epistemological established example existence experience experimental explain expression fact formal function give given groups historical human hypothesis idea ideal illusion individual intellectual invention kind knowledge language laws lead least less logical means method methodological middle mind nature object observation operations opinion organization particular persons phenomena philosophy physics position possible practice precisely present principles problem production propositions question rationalism reality reason reference reflection relations relationship result rules scientific sense shows significance simple situation social society sociologist sociology specific structure systematic techniques theoretical theory things thought tion tradition true understand University whole