Some Observations on Sociological Research

Abstract

that the growth of positive knowledge in the sphere of human relations would help in reducing the area of disagreement or at least in giving fuller insight into what the disagreements are about. From this point of view ethical thought stands to gain from the development of the social sciences. But the problems involved cannot be resolved by the social sciences alone. There is needed in addition philosophical analysis designed to bring out the latent assumptions underlying the divergencies of outlook and to inquire how far they can be reconciled or transcended. Whether any fundamental divergencies will remain when the facts have been clarified and the ideals elucidated remains to be seen. The rationalist assumption is that ideals like facts come within the scope of rational inquiry and that we must proceed in the hope that sufficient agreements can be reached in those spheres at least which call for collective action.