concept of sociology as an emerging science, emphasizing the need for clear definitions and boundaries in its inquiries. He argues against broad philosophical generalizations, instead advocating for precise research centered around specific social facts. The introduction outlines his intention to analyze suicide as a social fact, suggesting that instead of being purely an individual act, it is influenced by collective societal factors that can be measured and categorized. Through his examination, Durkheim aims to show that the rate of suicide varies across different societies and contexts, which points to underlying social conditions rather than mere individual despair. (This is an automatically generated summary.)