Sociology should... be thought of as a science of action-of the ultimate common value element in its relations to the other elements of action.

But the fact a person denies that he is theorising is no reason for taking him at his word and failing to investigate what implicit theory is involved in his statements.

Spencers god was Evolution, sometimes also called Progress.

A theoretical system does not merely state facts which have been observed and that logically deducible relations to other facts which have also been observed.

But the scientific importance of a change in knowledge of fact consists precisely in j its having consequences for a system of theory.

A scientifically unimportant discovery is one which, however true and however interesting for other reasons, has no consequences for a system of theory with which scientists in that field are concerned.

Empirical interest will be in the facts so far as they are relevant to the solution of these problems.