Can Latent Function be Manifest?

Great question Aram, like many of the social phenomenons we have learned about, it is rare to find a salient periphery that makes us understand, distinguish, and determine exactly when to classify the theory. Some are more obvious than others but I do think Merton's claiming and the differences between manifest and latent functions can easily get confused. I think that the two functions are not entirely dichotomous which is why interpretation can be difficult.