Theoretical and methodological approaches to studying social reality

The processes occurring in Russia are pressing for the search for new infrastructure development and social development models. In the context of the ongoing crisis the government and the society must solve the common issue of qualitative changes in the life of the country, economic and social development. In this regard, studying social reality is becoming more relevant. The purpose for this research is to analyze the main approaches to the concept, nature and ways of forming social reality as the research object of social philosophy and sociology. Philosophical approaches to the nature and formation of social reality, which are based on works of European scholars of the 19-20th century, reflect the essence of this phenomenon in a number of ways. Modern world is characterized by an increasing importance of virtual reality, the opportunities of which are widely used for the formation of public consciousness. According to analysis results, profound sociological study of social reality requires the use of achievements of all philosophical schools and approaches. Without their integration, the image of social reality will be one-sided, which will make in impossible to apply the research results for effective social management.