Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2017, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (6): 71-104.

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The Conflict between Sociology and Ethics:A Perspective on Durkheim's Science of Morality

CHEN Tao   

  1. Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
  • Online:2017-11-20 Published:2017-11-20
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China(No. 15CSH004)

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Abstract:

In order to grasp the fundamental questions of sociology and to justify or reflect on its basic ways of thinking,we need to relocate it in the traditional disciplines from which sociology once strived to break away. More precisely,we must regard Sociology as a response to the fundamental propositions of modern ethics. This paper examines the two critiques towards philosophical ethics made by Durkheim's and Lévy-Bruhl's science of morality. Firstly,classical ethics regards itself as a legislative or normal science whose task is to regulate ordinary people's behaviors by constructing a set of moral laws with logical coherence. In contrast,sociology argues that valid norms can only be achieved after a positive study of moral facts in society. Secondly,anthropocentrism regards the purpose of morality as the realization of human nature,whereas sociologists emphasize the social nature of people and make the social function as the basis of morality. Therefore,the purpose of morality is to serve the existence of society itself. This conflict between sociology and ethics demonstrates that sociology challenges the dominance of the classical humanism tradition in Western thought and practice by providing a rationality inherent in history and reality,especially in non-western religions and societies. However,sociology cannot alone provide social norms by just studying contemporary society or other ethnic groups or by analyzing their social functions,social laws and social structures. The fundamental question remains what kind of people we want to be and how we should live. This should not only be the focus of ethicists but also the starting point of sociologists.

Key words: ethics, science of morality, normal science, moral facts, social function