Max Weber’s "Sociology Of Understanding" And Its Contribution To The Methodology Of Legal Research

Max Weber was one of the founders of modern sociology and one of the scholars of the Sociology of law,who,together with Durkheim and Marx,became known as the "triad of sociology".Throughout his life,his academic research is extensive,his ideas and theories in all areas of social science.Among the many theories he studied,the reinterpretation of methodology is his core idea.Many of the concepts,principles and methods of analysis in methodology have become the general knowledge of social science research,and his thought of Sociology of law has had a profound influence on the later German Historical School and Social Law School.Therefore,starting with his methodology,we can understand his contributions to the sociological theory and his influence on the methodology of the Sociology of law.Starting from his "sociology of Understanding",this paper elaborates on his methodology,analytical principles,analytical system and contribution to the sociology of law.The analysis consists of four parts:In the first part of this paper,the philosophical basis of Weber’s "sociology of understanding" is analyzed.This philosophical foundation includes philosophical thought since the enlightenment.In this part of the paper,we will elaborate on the implications of positivism’s social science thinking and Neo-Kantianism’s impact on Weber’s methodology.The second part of the article begins with an analysis of Weber’s conceptual system of "sociology of understanding",explaining the conceptual elements of the system one by one,and how Weber put them together.Finally,the core concept of the system is introduced: "ideal type",the concept of the ideal type,the application methods and characteristics.In the third part,after clarifying the concept and basic frame of "sociology of understanding",three types of legitimacy are used to explain the concrete analysis paradigm of "ideal type".In the fourth part of the article,after the introduction of the core concept of "sociology of understanding" and the concrete application of "ideal type",the author further describes the contribution of "sociology of understanding" to the research methods of law,from the research principle,the ideal type utilization and so on explains its contribution concretely.