outline and access the utility of Webers approach to social sciences?

Answer 1

Weber's approach is complex--but here's the gist of it. First, he relies on a methodology of "ideal types" which is often misunderstood. For Weber, the typology is a set of models that are not to be thought of as empirically real, but insted are composites of particular characteristics. In the "Protestanant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" for instance, the Protestant ethic is presented in terms of its core components, setting aside the innumerable variations one finds in the real world. Waber saw these types as composing a "typology" that created a framework for assesing the real social actors, groups, institutions, etc. In short, the typeology is a measuring tool for measuring the differences, similarities, and relationships among different real entities.

Weber also relied heavily on historical information--e was very clear in believing that ideas, norms, and customs are rooted in the culture and history of a given society or group. Hence his interest in religion also led him to study other religions than Christainity--trying to understand how each belief system affected its particular culture and how they differed from each other.

Much of weber's most important work dealt with the emergence of the modern world--e.g. his essay on "Bureaucracy" and on the value and costs of the increasingly rationalized and impersonal nature of modern society. That essay is also a prime example of his use of the "ideal type" methodology he developed.

One key feature of Weber's work--also misunderstood by many--was his advocacy of "value-free" sociology. Weber, like most socioligists, recognized that, while you may be able to study and measure the beliefs and values of a population--and sometimes even the effects thereof--you cannot tell whether a value is either "good" or "bad." At least not in in empirical terms--and he suggested sociology and other sciences must confine themselves to the empirical and not make value judgements--as scientists. But Weber was also aware that this view is itself an ideal type--and has its limits. In a famous essay, he pointed out that this "value-free science" was an ideal scholars should strive for--not one they would--or even could--actually attain perfectly. But he made another point often forgotten. Weber did not believe that the sociologist--or any scientist--should refrain from making value judgements--in fact he argued it was their duty as citizens to do so. But what they muust not do is present those value jjudgements as science--the two are to be kept seperate.

Answer 2

Weber is often regarded as the most important classical sociological theorist since he investigated many areas and since his approach and methods guide much later sociological analysis. Like Marx, Weber had a wide ranging set of interests: politics, history, language, religion, law, economics, and administration, in addition to sociology. His historical and economic analysis does not provide as elaborate or as systematic a model of capitalism and capitalist development as does that of Marx. But the scope of his analysis ranges more widely than that of Marx; is examines broad historical changes, the origins of capitalism, the development of capitalism, political issues, the nature of a future society, and concepts and approaches that Marx downplayed – religion, ideas, values, meaning, and social action.