Sociological Theory and Sociological Practice

Abstract

This article is concerned with the question of the relevance of the results of sociological research external to the discipline — or, in other words, with the form of dealing with sociological knowledge in the environment of the scientific system. When it comes to application, compared to other disciplines sociology has an unusual problem: Unlike jurisprudence or economics, which focus primarily on one specific social function system, sociology is characterized by a strictly external observation perspective and produces external descriptions of what the disciplines of the individual function systems have already put forward as self-descriptions. Based on these reflections, this article asks about the consequences for sociological theory and practice and sees one possible answer in viewing sociology as a form of advisory sociology.