Foreword to a Preface for an Introduction to a Prolegomenon to a Discourse on a Certain

Subject
Author(s): Robert K. Merton
Source: The American Sociologist, Vol. 4, No. 2 (May, 1969), p. 99
Published by: American Sociological Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27701474 .
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B.
Euwema,
1964

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FOREWORD TO A PREFACE FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO A

PROLEGOMENON TO A DISCOURSE ON
A CERTAIN SUBJECT
Robert

K. Merton

Columbia
The

following

who

undergraduate
academic

was

piece

written

how

asked
The

prolixity.

author

he might

chose

the

matters

to an

in response

of The

American

avoid

to consider

is one

of profound

are more
we

all.

Indeed, this hardly needs to be said. Surely, the signifi

cance

of

the

issues

we

are

to examine

is almost

here

self

evident. And yet, there are indications from time to time

that some people have still to be alerted to the deep-seated
importance of the subject, together with itsmany implica
tions. That is why I think it incumbent upon me to put all
possible emphasis on precisely this point. For ifwe were
to

turn

at

readers

once

to

be

might

consideration
to

led

of

assume

the

that,

some

subject,

as

interesting

it

might be, it is still a subject of no great consequence. This,

of course,

would

an

be

error.

abysmal

For

it can

be

with no great fear of successful contradiction?that

nore

this

subject
be
would

tance
tinued

ignorance

said?

to ig

or to
it as of only minor
impor
regard
to con
tantamount
to resigning
oneself
can
it. Granted
about
that some
subjects

be neglected by many men with no great damage either to

themselves or to the world in which they live. But, as will
seen

be

at once,

when

we

to examine

begin

the great detail it deserves, this matter

this

in

subject

is not to be in

the con
among
Quite
subjects
safely
neglected.
:
to propose
I
wish
it
sound,
may
trary
extravagant
though
now
on the
of man
the thesis
that of all subjects
agenda

kind, this one leads all the rest in itspotential implications

for the future of the human race. And if this be so, how
himself

anyone

regard

prime

importance?

as

responsible

and

The

question

answers

it

itself:

cannot be done. That is why I think it fair to say that the

we are about
to consider
subject
most
attention.
critical,

deserves

our

closest,

and

But the importance of the subject is not the only feature

that commends
its complexity.
It
vestigate.

is also
There
and mine.
it to your attention
we are to in
For
this is no simple matter
to be men
that needs
is not something
only

tioned in order to be understood. After all, important

May

aspects
is something
too,
are
in
to make
if we

the

outset

of the matter.

understanding

of

Some

the important aspects will require a great deal of atten

tion ; correlatively, the less important aspects need only be
touched upon, without going into thematter deeply. For if

we

our

save

not

do

the more

for

energies
use
instead

and

siderations

in

them

significant

con

atten

up
lavishing
so it appears
it is obvious?or
significant,
we shall be at a distinct
to me?that
Perhaps
disadvantage.
will
most
readers
seems
this warning
Perhaps
superfluous.
discrimina
needed
make
these
assume
that they usually
and passing
to the more
important
tions, attending
closely
a sub
in as complex
over
But
the
less
important.
lightly
this excel
that
as this one, there is always
the
danger
ject
tion

on

less

the

lent way of studying a problem will be neglected. That is

as a
why I emphasize both the importance of the subject
whole and the differing degrees of importance assumed by
various parts of the subject. Otherwise, I shall fail in my
I have found, by
obligation to alert the reader to what
hard

to

experience,

be

temptation of assuming
just

as

as

significant

the

temptation:

dangerous

is

that every part of a subject

every

other

part.

But

are

about

this

perhaps

to
warning is enough to keep the reader from falling prey
temptation.
In approaching
then, we must,

the
if we

subject
are to do

we

to

bend

it justice,

examine,
our every

effort to the difficult task of seeing things whole, of giving

attention
ourselves

informed

human being while still ignoring this subject of universal

and

from

recognize
on a
thorough

some

that

acknowledge
than others.
This,

the

cluded

can

in doing so, we shall

to

ready

significant

must

roads

to us

importance

be

nevertheless

There can be no doubt, I think, that the subject we are

about

ones.
It will be necessary
self-apparent
to examine
of this difficult
every
aspect

seldom

therefore,

subject in painstaking detail. And,

homeo

Editor.

Sociologist.?The

are

for us,

pathic method of meeting that request. I came upon

themanuscript and thought I should share it with
readers

University

attention

where
to

focus

on

the significant. For,

sense,

we

the

and

of

not

at

permitting

the

expense

of

in the end, significance is all. In a

it to ourselves

owe

is due,

insignificant

to recognize

this

and

to keep

it ever in mind. True, most people most of the time will

is to be preferred
freely admit that the significant subject
to the insignificant. But even when they admit it in so

many

words

they

they say. That

in hand.
subject
our
examination
But first, .. .

do

not

always

act

in accord

with

what

is especially apt to be the case with the

And
of

so, without
the subject

1969

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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

further

ado,

we

turn

to

99