“Science” is defined by a systemically controlling their results and the way of procuring these. The process is oriented at principles of rational argumentation, empricial verifiability and intersubjectial traceability. These points are weighted differently when looking at various subjects but are essiential to all disciplines and the goal of gaining insights into reality, not taking preconceived opinions and convictions into account. But for this (self-)critical reflection of
the possibility of perceptions (as shown in the theory of knowledge),
the procedure of scientific goal and principles (as shown in the theory of science) and
the adaptation of used methods concerning the specific topic developed in the “methodology” has to be guranteed.
This means that it is essential for sociology to create a concept of methods of data aquiration and data analysis that takes the diversity of sociology into account. The reconstruction of various subjective world views and experiences has to be part of the empirical methods as well as the analysis of structural connections. Goal and one of the main trademarks of the empirical teaching at the institute of sociology in Erlangen is to convey a broad spectrum of hermeneutic-qualitaive and quantitative methods of acquiring and analysing data. This also includes the demontration of being able to use these methods in research.
