37 Quotes by Talcott Parsons


  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    But the fact a person denies that he is theorising is no reason for taking him at his word and failing to investigate what implicit theory is involved in his statements.

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  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    It is that of increasing knowledge of empirical fact, intimately combined with changing interpretations of this body of fact - hence changing general statements about it - and, not least, a changing a structure of the theoretical system.

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  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    Of course there may well be particular reasons why Spencer rather than others is dead, as there were also particular reasons why he rather than others made such a stir.

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  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    The importance of certain problems concerning the facts will be inherent in the structure of the system.

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  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    Special emphasis should be laid on this intimate interrelation of general statements about empirical fact with the logical elements and structure of theoretical systems.

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  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    Thus, in general, in the first instance, the direction of interest in empirical fact will be canalised by the logical structure of the theoretical system.

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  • Author Talcott Parsons
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    A theoretical system does not merely state facts which have been observed and that logically deducible relations to other facts which have also been observed.

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