Quotes by Talcott Parsons
30 quotes by Talcott Parsons
Among those who are satisfactory in this respect it is desirable to have represented as great a diversity of intellectual tradition, social milieu and personal character as possible.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about respect, tradition, character
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.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about reason, word, people
But the scientific importance of a change in knowledge of fact consists precisely in j its having consequences for a system of theory.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about science, consequences, knowledge, change
Empirical interest will be in the facts so far as they are relevant to the solution of these problems.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about interest, problems
From all this it follows what the general character of the problem of the development of a body of scientific knowledge is, in so far as it depends on elements internal to science itself.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about character, evolution, science, knowledge, body
If observed facts of undoubted accuracy will not fit any of the alternatives it leaves open, the system itself is in need of reconstruction.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about need
In so far as such a theory is empirically correct it will also tell us what empirical facts it should be possible to observe in a given set of circumstances.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about circumstances
It is probably safe to say that all the changes of factual knowledge which have led to the relativity theory, resulting in a very great theoretical development, are completely trivial from any point of view except their relevance to the structure...
Quote by Talcott Parsons about evolution, knowledge
Knowledge is held to be an entirely quantitative affair. The one important thing is to have observed what had not been observed before.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about things, affair, prison, knowledge
Moreover, the structure of a theoretical system tells us what alternatives are open in the possible answers to a given question.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about question
Spencer's god was Evolution, sometimes also called Progress.
Quote by Talcott Parsons about evolution, progress, god