Why does sociology teaching uniquely require study of its classics? The answer, it is suggested, lies in the indeterminacy of the idea of what is social—what constitutes and exemplifies it, at different levels of abstraction, about which the classical sociologists diverge, as do their continuing legacies. Synthesis aiming at disciplinary-wide consensus is not, therefore, a promising path. Selective perception, it is further suggested, deepens insight.

中文翻译：

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社会学不可避免的过去

为什么社会学教学特别需要学习经典？有人提出，答案在于什么是社会的概念的不确定性——什么构成和例证了它，在不同的抽象层次上，古典社会学家对其存在分歧，他们的持续遗产也是如此。因此，针对全学科共识的综合并不是一条有希望的道路。进一步建议，选择性感知可以加深洞察力。