Was Merton's functionalism deterministic?
While my work in structural functionalism emphasized the ways in which social structures contribute to the stability and maintenance of social systems, I did not view society as a rigidly deterministic entity. I recognized the existence of "dysfunctions" – consequences that tend to lessen the adaptation or adjustment of a system. My analysis also distinguished between manifest (intended) and latent (unintended) functions, acknowledging that social actions can have unforeseen and complex outcomes.
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