Can one ever be truly objective when writing, or speaking, or communicating in any form? Don’t we all write from “situated vantage points”? By situated I mean we view the world as a man or a woman; as an Anglo or Hispanic; as a Canadian or American. Our gender and ethnicity and nationality and many other factors influence what we choose to include in our discourse.
2007-01-17 01:25:19 · 3 answers · asked by fishyinmytank 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
To answer your question from a sociological standpoint - No. Even the best researchers have their biases. That is why certain people study certain things. I am a middle class, Protestant white female living in the Midwest. My worldview is going to be very different that an upper class African-American male living in New York City. Because of this, our opinions are (usually) steadfast and strong because they are based on our life experiences. It is very difficult to forget your life experiences and worldview (habitus). Now, C.Wright Mills would argue that it is possible, through using the sociological imagination, to "adopt" another persons persona. However, very few people are actually able to consciously forget everything they know about life to try to see things from someone else viewpoint.
2007-01-17 01:32:31 · answer #1 · answered by poohb2878 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolute objectivity is relative. If you have certain standards by which you define absolute objectivity you could, at least in theory, achieve those standards. If there is no objective definition of objectivity than all objectivity is only subjectively objective while being objectively subjective.
2007-01-17 09:30:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anpadh 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you can empathize you can be objective
2007-01-17 09:30:33 · answer #3 · answered by edoubleyou 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋