Levels of sociological knowledge

Modern social sciences are developing mainly in the fundamental and applied areas. This constitutes the basic levels of sociological knowledge. The first level is also called general theoretical. At this level, philosophical issues of the development and functioning of society and man are developed, the categorical apparatus and concept of the social, methods of investigating social processes and phenomena are determined, epistemological questions are solved, and much more.

It is clear that some theoretical concepts for a full-fledged development of sociological knowledge are not enough, it must be based on accurate, concrete data, the facts that constitute the essence of the process of changing modern society. Thus, levels of sociological knowledge are supplemented by one more - empirical. At this level, the science of society and man collects various facts, data, data, opinions of respondents who are members of different communities, their subsequent processing and interpretation.

Empirical research and sociological concepts are dialectically related, because a theory that is not backed by concrete facts becomes meaningless, lifeless, and practice, not connected with theoretical conclusions, can not explain the essence of phenomena occurring in society.

With the development of the sciences of society and man, the requirements to solve social problems on a practical level increased, and a need arose to study and theoretically explain social phenomena. However, fundamental research has not been able to apply its theoretical apparatus to investigating such very different concepts as "state", "family", "deviant behavior", "ekspektatsii" and others. As a result, discrepancies arose between theoretical constructions and practical research.

Existing levels of sociological knowledge could not explain many social phenomena and phenomena, but this problem was eventually solved by the formation of another group of theories, which were called "middle-level theory." The term itself was introduced by R. Merton. These theories occupy a place between general theoretical concepts and empirical practices. In modern science of society and man, they firmly entered the scientific arsenal and organically supplemented the levels of sociological knowledge.

Scientists-sociologists believe that the emergence of theories of the average level gives a number of advantages, the main of which can be considered:

- the possibility of creating a solid theoretical basis for studying various spheres of human activity without using cumbersome, sometimes overly complicated fundamental theories;

- a more solid interaction with the practical life of individuals and social groups;

- Demonstration of research opportunities for scientists and specialists in other fields of knowledge.

Scientists distinguish the following functions of sociological knowledge:

• Cognitive, consisting in the acquisition of new information about the most diverse spheres of life, about possible ways of social development;
• Practical, which consists in the fact that knowledge about the laws of the development of society and man provides an opportunity not only to cognise social reality, but also have managerial potential;
• Control function, which allows to reduce social tension in the society;
• Ideological, consisting in the fact that the obtained scientific data (knowledge) can be used to develop value orientations, patterns of behavior, certain positive attitudes;
• Futurological, which consists in forecasting possible ways of development of social processes and tendencies of social development.