Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsonsis an American sociologist of the classical tradition, best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism. Parsons is considered one of the most influential figures in the early development of American sociology. After earning a PhD in economics, he served on the faculty at Harvard University from 1927 to 1979, and in 1930, was among the first professors in its newly created sociology department...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSociologist
Date of Birth13 December 1902
CountryUnited States of America
Special emphasis should be laid on this intimate interrelation of general statements about empirical fact with the logical elements and structure of theoretical systems.
It is that of increasing knowledge of empirical fact, intimately combined with changing interpretations of this body of fact - hence changing general statements about it - and, not least, a changing a structure of the theoretical system.
But the scientific importance of a change in knowledge of fact consists precisely in j its having consequences for a system of theory.
The importance of certain problems concerning the facts will be inherent in the structure of the system.
A theoretical system does not merely state facts which have been observed and that logically deducible relations to other facts which have also been observed.
Empirical interest will be in the facts so far as they are relevant to the solution of these problems.
But the fact a person denies that he is theorising is no reason for taking him at his word and failing to investigate what implicit theory is involved in his statements.
If observed facts of undoubted accuracy will not fit any of the alternatives it leaves open, the system itself is in need of reconstruction.
The simplest way to see the meaning of the concept of a closed, system in this sense is to consider the example of a system of simultaneous equations.
Moreover, the structure of a theoretical system tells us what alternatives are open in the possible answers to a given question.
Thus, in general, in the first instance, the direction of interest in empirical fact will be canalised by the logical structure of the theoretical system.
Of course there may well be particular reasons why Spencer rather than others is dead, as there were also particular reasons why he rather than others made such a stir.
The main concern of the study is with the outline of a theoretical system. Its minor variations from writer to writer are not a matter of concern to this analysis.
In so far as such a theory is empirically correct it will also tell us what empirical facts it should be possible to observe in a given set of circumstances.