Max Weber was a German sociologist born in 1864 who was one of the founders of modern sociology. He studied law and economics and took an interest in contemporary social policy issues. Some of his most influential works included The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism in 1904 and Economy and Society in 1922. Weber emphasized objectivity in social science research through the use of ideal types to represent concepts being studied and distinguished between meaningful social action and simple reaction.