On the subject of sociology, critical analysis of western sociology by academician Paata Gugushvili

Abstract

The article deals with the issue of the subject matter and scientific status of sociology according to critical reception of definitions of western sociology by P. Gugushvili. It is emphasized that in spite of multiplicity and variety of opinions, the problem of subject matter of sociology is still unsolved. Accordingly, views of a famous Georgian scholar and one of the path-breakers of sociology in Georgia P. Gugushvili on this particular issue, deserve close attention. In definitions of the subject matter of sociology given by western scholars it is stressed that sociology studies society but nothing is said what the subject matter itself is. Stating that sociology scientifically studies society, social groups and relations, expresses only our cognitive-scholarly attitude to the objects of study but says nothing about a particular subject matter of sociology as a science. Such is academician P. Gugushvili’s attitude to the subject matter of sociology that should be a condition of a scientific character of sociology. In any other case, sociology as a science will slip out of our hands. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect this theoretical fact which is rather important for sociology. In particular, it is to be stated that in difference to other sciences sociology studies laws and regularities of existence, functioning and change of society, social groups, social formations, of persons etc. as whole formations. In this respect definition of the subject matter of sociology by academician P. Gugushvili is valid scientifically and should be taken intoaccount even at present. The article presents theoretical and sociological analysis of the issue through applying the method of logical-sociological analysis and is based on the primary (P. Gugushvili’s work “Modern Bourgeois Sociology“) and certain secondary sources concerning the theoretical problem under discussion. elying on the work by academician P. Gugushvili we think that the subject matter of sociology and its scientific status will remain a problem until the subject matter of its research is defined and specific laws which are studied by sociology and not by other social sciences are recognized. Such is the pathos of academician P. Gugushvili’s work.