To Question Foundations

Reviewed is T. Adorno's, H. Albert's, R. Dahrendorf's, J. Habermas's, H. Pilot's, & K. Popper's The Positivist Dispute in German Sociology (Adey, G., & Frisby, D. [Trs], London: Heinemann Educational Books, 1976). This volume of the proceedings of a 1961 meeting represents the attempt made by the various participants to falsify the methodological principles of the others. No serious confrontation of viewpoints emerged in the debate, but it is possible to discern a number of specific points of disagreement. The debate was not a discussion of sociology, but only of its interpretation. Discussed were: the question 'what is it that leads to research in sociology?'; the issue of whether hermeneutic methods are needed in sociology; deductive logic versus dialectics; value questions; & the rationality of choice. While the disputants did not really enter into a debate, the issues discussed were interesting & important. I. Irwin-Zarecka.