CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE WORK "THE RULES OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL METHOD", BY ÉMILE DURKHEIM

Abstract

This article analyzes the theoretical and methodological foundations of the work The Rules of the Sociological Method, by Émile Durkheim, focusing on the concept of social fact and the guidelines proposed by the author for its scientific observation. The research is based on the need to understand how Durkheim consolidated Sociology as a distinct science, by proposing that social phenomena be treated with the same rigor as the natural sciences. The main objective is to identify the contributions and limitations of Durkheimian thought to the construction of a sociological method based on objectivity and the overcoming of preconceived ideas. The methodology adopted is qualitative in nature, through a bibliographic research, with an exploratory and interpretative approach, aimed at the critical reading of the author's work. The study allowed us to observe that, by defining the social fact as an external and coercive reality, Durkheim delimited a specific field of analysis, guided by neutrality and empirical observation. It is concluded that, although its approach has limits related to conceptual rigidity and the idealization of scientific neutrality, it represents a fundamental basis for the development of Sociology as an autonomous and systematic science. It is recommended to deepen the theme in dialogue with other sociological currents.