What Is Truly New in Sociological Method?

Prvi prijevod knjige Anthonyja Giddensa »Nova pravila sociološke metode u Jugoslaviji«, na slovenskom jeziku, potaknuo je prilično živahnu raspravu o stanju zanata u sociologijskoj metodologiji. Ovaj esej pokušava promotriti Giddensovu knjigu preko najaktualnijih rasprava u struci o sociološkoj metodi. Smatrajući Giddensa prije svega novim socijalnim realistom (NSR), autor pokušava njegov zahtjev za odvlačenjem sociologije što dalje od njutonijanskih opsesija interpretirati kao zahtjev blizak relativizmu (Lukes) i kontekstualizmu (Hesse) u suvremenoj filozofiji znanosti. Autor smatra da bi reiteriranjem Giddensovih pojmova »dvojne hermeneutike« i »praktične svijesti« kroz pojmove minimalne »univerzalne racionalnosti« (Lukes) i kontekstualnosti svake znanosti (Hesse) katkad nedorečeni Giddensov aparat dobio je na preciznosti. Reiteracija osvjetljava nedostatke i prednosti osnovnog Giddensovog pojmovlja; tako pokazuje njegovo zanemarivanje »koncepta« u metodologiji ali i potencijale koje ima »praktična svijest« interpretira li se kao dio »mreže znanja« u svakodnevlju i u znanosti. Takav pristup nam također pokazuje, smatra autor, da je Giddens tek djelomično uspio uvjeriti nas o »novim pravilima« no da je svakako uspio potaknuti nas na svježa pitanja o sociološkoj metodi danas.The first translation of Anthony Giddens’ book: New rules of sociological method, in Yugoslavia in the Slovene Language, initiated rather vivid discussions on the actual state of the art of sociological methodology. This essay highlights Giddens’s book within the framework of actual prime topics of sociological methodology: treating Giddens as a NSR (New Social Realist) it tries to interpret his claim about moving sociology out of the Newtonian obsession as a claim close to philosophical relativism (Steven Lukes) and contextualism (Mary Hesse). The author is arguing in favour of Giddens’ notions of dual hermeneutics and practical consciousness that have been reiterated through relativism and contextualism. Universal rationality (relativism) given through basic concepts (Lukes) and contextuality of science (Ilesse) underline both the insufficiencies and advantages of Giddens\u27 »new rules«. The former are illustrated by Gidden’s negligence considering the role of the concept in sociological methodology’; the latter by the possibility of interpreting »practical consciousness« (Giddens) as being a part of the »network of knowledge « (Hesse). Within the given framework, the author concludes, Giddens has not thoroughly succeeded in enlightening us with new rules, but he certainly has given us ideas for fresh questions in the area of sociological epistemology