社会学研究对象及其方法论准则的再思考——以迪尔凯姆对社会学的理论探索为研究视域

A Reconsideration on the Objects and Methodological Criteria of Sociological Research——From the Perspective of Durkheim’s Theoretical Exploration of Sociology

作为社会学理论的早期奠基人之一,迪尔凯姆力图通过对社会学研究对象、方法等的探索,使之成为一门独立的、科学的理论。在他看来,社会学研究的对象是社会事实,社会事实并非任意的、主观的构造。社会事实是客观存在的,它虽不是"物",却有着"物"一般的客观属性,并具有强制性、普遍性、合成性、客观性、外在性等特性。而在这些诸多特性中,迪尔凯姆认为最为重要的便是普遍性和强制性,其他特性都是从这两个特性中衍生出来的。在对社会学研究对象进行探讨的基础上,迪尔凯姆进而探索了社会学独特的研究方法,并确立了社会学研究的方法论准则。可以说,迪尔凯姆对社会学研究对象及其方法的探讨是具有典范意义的。尤其在当今,基于对社会学研究对象、方法等的争论,重新审视迪尔凯姆的社会学思想具有十分重要的理论价值与现实意义。

As one of the early founders of sociological theory,Durkheim endeavored to make sociology an independent scientific theory by exploring its research objects,methods,etc.In his view,the object of sociological study is social facts,which are not the construction of arbitrariness and subjectivity.The social fact exists objectively,it’s not a "thing",but has the same objective properties as a thing and the features of mandatority,universality,compositionality,objectivity,externality,etc.Among all these features,Durkheim thought that the most important ones are universality and mandatority,from which the others are derived.On the basis of the sociological objects researching,Durkheim explored the unique research methods of sociology and established the methodological criteria for sociological research.It can be said that Durkheim’s discussion of the objects and methods of sociological study has the exemplary significance.Especially today,based on the debate on the objects and methods of sociological research,it is of great theoretical value and practical significance to re-examine Durkheim’s sociological thoughts.