Positivist Approach To Suicide Essay

There are two main sociological strands that approach the issue of suicide, which are the Interpretivist approach and the Positivist approach, which differ tremendously in their theories on the subject of suicide. One of the most famous positivists who studied suicide is Emile Durkheim (1952), he saw suicide as a social fact, as did other positivist sociologists, which meant that suicide was able to be studied scientifically. In his study, Durkheim (1952) used already available statistics about suicide in order to create a theory on how individuals who are thinking of/or committing suicide, and also creating a social explanation for these actions. Durkheim’s study shows the possibilities for further empirical research that would allow for further development in sociology, followed by his functionalism and positivism. From Durkheim’s predecessors, Comte and Spencer, it is clear, that his work was a biological analogy, when

Mechanical solidarity refers to a type of social consensus where individuals in a society share the same or similar beliefs and values. Mechanical solidarity is most common is traditional societies that lead a more simple way of life like living on farms for example. Contrary, the other form of social consensus that Emile Durkheim suggested is organic solidarity. Organic solidarity is a form of social consensus in societies, in which individuals are independent and different individuals in that society may hold different beliefs and values. Because of this, organic solidarity is most common in larger, modernised and industrialised societies. Taking in to account the identified general types of suicide by Emile Durkheim, and looking at the definition for egoistic suicide where there is inadequate integration into the society, it seems to be a strong reason for committing suicide for the