Download The Sociological Point of View Sociology: Then and Now

The Sociological Point of
View
Sociology: Then and Now
Section 2
Sociology: Then and Now
Sociology did not develop until the 1800’s.
Several factors led to the development of
Sociology
Political and Social Change
Revolutions
Growth of population
Individual freedom and rights
Important Factors
Industrial Revolution
Farms and cottage
industries disappear
and large scale
production and
factories are born.
People leave their
homes in the country
and cities begin to
grow.
Urban Populations
The # of people
looking for a job
outpaced the available
jobs.
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Housing Shortages
Crime
Pollution
Difficulty adjusting to
city (Country =
personal relationships)
Important Factors
People can no longer
ignore social problems
and therefore begin
wanting personal
freedoms and rights
American Revolution
French Revolutions
All of these changes
political, social, and
economic caused
people to question old
ideas and ways of life.
Scholars especially
begin to question
traditional
explanations of
everything.
Auguste Comte
French Philosopher (1798-1857)
Founder of sociology as a distinct subject
First to apply the methods of the physical
sciences to the study of social life.
Coined the phrase Sociology to describe the
study of society.
Focused on two major areas: social order and
social change.
Auguste Comte
Social Statics: certain
processes hold society
together.
Social Dynamics: Society
changes through definite
processes.
Uncover these principles
through methods of
scientific methods.
Comte originally worked
for social change and
reform.
In 1816 he was expelled
from school and never
completed his degree.
He began practicing
“cerebral hygiene” and
ignored all other works
and writers to keep his
mind pure.
Herbert Spencer
English Philosopher (1820-1903)
Began his life as a civil engineer for a railway
company.
After inheriting a large sum of money he no
longer needed to work and began studying
sociology.
Modeled his studies after the teachings of
Charles Darwin.
Herbert Spencer
Just as a biological
organism has parts
that work together to
keep the body going
so does society.
Society is a set of
independent parts that
work together to
maintain the system
over time.
Considered social change
and unrest to be natural
occurrences in society’s
quest to perfection.
Spencer believed that only
the best aspects of society
would survive over time
and that nothing should be
done to fix social
problems.
Herbert Spencer
Believed that only the
fittest societies would
survive over time. He
actually coined the
phrase “survival of the
fittest”, not Charles
Darwin.
His views became
known as Social
Darwinism.
He also disregarded
the ideas and writings
of other scholars
whose ideas were
different.
Both Spencer and
Comte and their ideas
fell out of favor.
Karl Marx
Prussian Philosopher (1818-1883)
Attended several universities and earned a
doctorate.
Could not get a teaching position because of his
political views.
Worked as a writer and editor for a radical
newspaper.
Government eventually shut down the paper
because of his revolutionary views.
Karl Marx
Believed the structure
of society is
influenced by how its
economy is organized.
Society is divided into
two classes
Bourgeoisie
(Capitalists)
Proletariat ( workers)
The Capitalists own the
means of production: the
materials and means used
to produce goods and
services.
The Proletariats own
nothing, the provide the
labor needed to produce
goods and services.
Karl Marx
Marx believed this
imbalance in power
would lead to conflict
and that it would only
end when the workers
overthrew the
capitalists.
Marx believed the
workers would then
create a classless
society in which each
citizen would
contribute according
to ability and would be
rewarded according to
his needs.
Emile Durkheim
French Philosopher (1858-1917)
Educated in both France and Germany
Taught at the University of Bordeaux
Developed the first university sociology course
One of the first sociologists to systematically
apply the methods of science to the study of
society.
Emile Durkheim
Like Comte was
concerned with the
problems of social
order.
Like Spencer saw
society as independent
parts that maintain the
system
Durkheim viewed the role
of these independent parts
in terms of their functions.
Function is the
consequence that an
element of society
produces for the
maintenance of its social
system.
Emile Durkheim
Interested in the
Function of Religion
in maintaining social
order.
He believed that
shared beliefs and
values were the glue
that held society
together.
Durkheim believed
that you should only
study features of
society that are
directly observable.
Durkheim’s study of
Suicide
• See Map pg. 13
Max Weber
Prussian Philosopher (1864-1920)
Received his doctorate from the University of
Berlin
Taught at University of Berlin and University
of Heidelberg
Interested in separate groups within society
rather then society as a whole.
Max Weber
Focused on effects of
society on the
individual.
Believed sociologists
should go beyond
studying what can be
directly observed and
attempt to uncover
feelings and thoughts.
Weber proposed
Verstehen: an attempt
to understand the
meanings individuals
attach to their actions.
In other words put
yourself in the place of
others and see the
situation through their
eyes.
Max Weber
Weber also employed
the concept of Ideal
type.
Ideal Type: a
description comprised
of the essential
characteristics of a
feature of society.
Ideal type is the base
we use to compare to.
A description of an
ideal type school may
be different from St.
Joe but you would
know it was
describing an
educational institution.