ABSTRACT
This essay is based on the following assumption: since the social sciences have a reflexive character (subject is also object), they will contain perspectives which can give meaning and direction to research as well as distort research results when used without awareness. Since the human reality is always in large part a mental interpretation or construction of empirical existence, social science must utilize such perspectives in order to provide an understanding of the data. Social facts do not speak for themselves; or only to a limited extent. This situation creates recurrent methodological and epistemological problems for the social sciences which are not subject to permanent solution, but must be continuously debated. In light of the comprehensive objective of anthropology to reveal the variety and depth of human existence, it should be clear that disciplined subjective interpretation always will be a part of the methodology.
