"Value-Free" Sociology

Facts overs Values

For Herbert Spencer one of the problems he encountered with Sociology was legitimizing the study. A sociologist research findings can be effected by the emotions/values towards a study they are doing. To avoid biases Spencer was the first to bring into the study a "value-free" postion, which meant the sociologist had to study subjects without taking into account one's own judgement into the study. Like in this picture, sociologist only use facts from books or observations to solve sociological problems.