Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/542

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526 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

method which in its turn will ultimately organize a body of knowledge.

The account which Barth gives of "the sociologies" fails to get this latter fact into focus. The titles which he gives to the groups into which he divides the sociologists really beg very important questions. As in the case of the philosophers of his- tory, use of Earth's groupings, however, will serve to bring out the necessary facts about gradual perceptions of what sociological problems involve. This continued reference to Barth is inci- dentally for the purpose of correcting a radical error in his exposition. It prevents comment upon some very important writers, but the main point at present is to show that Barth mis- conceives the facts when he schedules a series of "sociologies." Superficially, he is correct; but closer inspection shows that, consciously or unconsciously, the sociologists have been working upon one sociology. Exaggeration of some single factor in asso- ciation, or of some single feature in method, does not constitute a special sociology. It contributes, directly .or indirectly, posi- tively or negatively, to the development of the one general

sociology.

Albion W. Small.

The University of Chicago.

[To be continued^