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What is Real and What is Realism in Sociology?
Author(s) -
Nash Roy
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal for the theory of social behaviour
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.615
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1468-5914
pISSN - 0021-8308
DOI - 10.1111/1468-5914.00112
Subject(s) - epistemology , critical realism (philosophy of perception) , realism , metaphysics , sociology , ontology , argument (complex analysis) , social ontology , foundation (evidence) , scientific realism , social science , philosophy , law , chemistry , biochemistry , political science
In the physical sciences a realist ontology rests on our ability to demonstrate the actual and real nature of material entities. Realist metaphysics of social entities, most influentially Bhaskar's critical realism, attempt to provide a related philosophical foundation for the social sciences. This paper examines the central issue of what is real about society it concludes that social relations and the organisations they constitute do exist and discusses the conditions of their demonstration. Realist interpretations of Bourdieu's theories are given particular attention in an argument that accepts the necessity of social realism but remains cautious about the development of methodologies able to provide effective demonstration.