Invitation to Sociology: A Classic Overview

1. What kind of a person should a sociologist be?

A sociologist should be able to observe and understand the realities of human behavior and the social settings in which it happens without being influenced emotionally or personally.

What does Berger mean when he refers to sociologists as "Professional

Peeping Toms?"

When Berger refers to sociologists as "Professional Peeping Toms", he means to "unmask the pretensions and the propaganda by which men cloak their actions with each other." An example would be: observing how a family really interacts with each other, responds to their environment, etc., behind closed doors without them knowing so that they cannot fake the way they really live, behave and act as a family unit. Berger refers to "debunking" as a process of looking behind the facades of everyday life.

2. Why is sociology a science?

Sociology is a science because methodological study is used to study the behavior of people in society in their environment. The same steps using the scientific method in a research process: observation, hypothesis testing, data analysis, and generalization is used when conducting sociological research.

Should a sociologist be objective (value-free) or subjective?

From what I get out of Berger's article, a sociologist should be both objective and

subjective.

Is the author value-free?

I believe Berger is both objective and subjective. He speaks of the relationship between society and the individual. Berger indicates studying society by looking at the part by which individuals have made and keep making their reality, which would be his objective analysis. And, studying how reality has made and keeps making the individual, would be ...

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...wn opinions and things have changed since he wrote this article. He comes from a white male point of view, which cause limitations. But I also see where his concept of "looking behind the scenes" rather than looking at just what is perceived on the outside is a great eye-opener and useful in looking at what is really going on.

7. Add your opinion.

As in my answer to question 6, Berger's ideas are narrow to some degree,

whereas; gender, race, and the times are concerned. I found his article very interesting and appreciated the spark my imagination was given by reading Berger's concepts. I am beginning to look around me differently, with more curiosity, and a desire to know how I am affected socially. Although I believe Berger's article was a bit narrow-minded, I can see where it opened up doors to the mind regarding human perspective and reality.