Controversies in Sociology

Controversies in Sociology Social Theory Conflicts Social theory is a fascinating body of work. At its heart is a conglomeration of respected intellectuals, all brilliant in their own right and yet embedded in philosophy that can completely contradict another philosophy. The concept of social theory as a way of understanding society then sometimes seems like a maze of information regarding the beliefs of several individuals, that one either agrees with or disagrees with depending on his/her own knowledge experience and personality.

The three sets of social theory that will be examined with in this short work are: conflict theory vs. functionalism, psychological reductionist vs. non-reductionist and value-free vs. value-committed social structure. Social Conflict theory is one of the earliest recognized forms of social theory. Social conflict theory regards society as a conglomeration of individuals, be they institutions or people all attempting to gain a finite amount of resources.

In this attempt to gain either, power, food, money, shelter or any other reward individuals are in innate conflict with one another, as they are all competing for the same things. Conflict theory would consider criminal behavior as a natural outgrowth of the strain of conflict for resources as individuals are pushed to a point of breaking the law in an attempt to gain resources they were unable t o gain by legal means.

Functionalism is on the other hand associated with the idea that all systems are symbiotic and interact with one another in a way of supporting the functions of the whole and the individual. Functional theorists believe that conflict within a system of society arises as an outgrowth of breakdowns within the natural functional system. A sick society would exhibit symptoms of paradigms as the breakdown within one group or institution would affect the failings of another.

In this system the idea of criminal behavior would be associated with an outgrowth of a system failure. An example of this would be: a functionalist would say that a criminal is not born but is an outgrowth of a breakdown in family function. Psychological reductionist approach stresses the idea that all beings spend the majority of their conscious time attempting to reduce the negative psychological impact of those things outside themselves upon themselves.

Understanding that the main reason for being in each case would then be simply a self-protection for optimum survival.

Homan's social exchange theory would loosely fall with in the ideals of reductionist theory as he believes that people will seek out rewards that meet their psychological and physical needs in every relationship and if a relationship is more psychologically costly than profitable then the relationship will be terminated by the individual (Homans' social exchange theory 2003) While on the other hand non-reductionist believe that social interaction is not necessarily linked with self preservation, as so many people not only seek out problems to solve but often put themselves in dire psychological conflicts to do so.

Though some theorists believe that the rewards of such an output would be the impetus for it non-reductionists believe that once again people will do things that put themselves in great psychological and even physical peril without any promised or even implied reward. Value-free sociology refers to a regard for social science as something that exists as a point of study without regard for the alteration or improvement of society. Value free sociology says that society can be observed but should not be manipulated.