Les règles de la méthode sociologique

In this book, Durkheim sets out to establish a rigorous methodology for sociology, distinguishing it from other sciences like psychology and philosophy.

He introduces six key rules for observing social facts: considering social facts as things, defining them rigorously, distinguishing between normal and pathological social facts, constituting social types, explaining social facts through prior social facts rather than individual consciousness, and using comparative and genetic approaches to prove findings.

Durkheim's work aims to ensure sociology's legitimacy as a science by providing a clear and distinct methodology.