价值的科学 韦伯社会科学方法论再探

The Science of Value:Re-Exploring Max Weber's Social Scientific Methodology

面对现代社会中理性与非理性、主观与客观、事实与价值之间的紧张,马克斯·韦伯的社会科学方法论力图在对立双方之间搭建起关联并在研究中往复运动,借助包含价值的历史个体和理想类型,通过超越主客观对立的价值阐释,说明历史、文化与社会的各种独特现象,发现各民族和时代中人们的价值理想,理解先辈如何去坚持和实践它们,进而指导现代人在今天继承和实现这些价值。历史和社会科学,既要用理性的方法培养学人清明的理智,也要使人看到超越理性的价值信念,从而帮助人在高度抽象的现代社会中,以理性的态度去守护和坚持各种文明的价值核心,避免走向僵死的理性和狂热的非理性两个极端。

There has been a series of dualisms in modern social science research： theory-experience, quantitative-qualitative, and subjective- objective. A reexamination of Max Weber＇s social science methodology will shed new light on the understanding of these dichotomies. Moving forward and back between empirical materials and constructive concepts, Weber tried to transcend the opposition between the objective and the subjective in historical and cultural science by examining historical individuals and coining the concept of ＂ideal type＂ which implied values and value interpretation. In his works, subjectively constructed conceptions can express objective historical experience and social practices and illuminate various institutions, mentality and structure of organizations. As a result, these conceptions can associate with researchers＇ value concerns of his time. By using social scientific method to method to understand different value ideals of people from various nations and ages, we can see how peoples in history uphold and practice them and guide peoples in our time to inherit and realize these values. By combining the conception and experience, past and present, Weber tried to defuse the tension between rational and irrational, subjective and objective, facts and values in modern society. From Max Weber＇s view of social science, history and social science are disciplines which use rational approach to culture scholars＇ sober intelligence and make people see value beliefs beyond rationalization. Actually, social science can help modern people uphold values and avoid the dilemma of deadly abstract rational theories and fanatic irrational experience.