Download Questions to Ponder - Doral Academy Preparatory

Questions to Ponder
• What are the processes
that hold society
together?
• What are the processes
that change society?
• Which one is sports a
part of?
• Do you think society is
evolving?
History of Sociology
• People have always talked and thought about
society and its organization
• “Why is there an apparent order in society?”
• “Why is that order different in different
societies?”
Pre-sociologists who tried to explain
society
• Theologians: believed that God had a plan for the world
and sacred scriptures could reveal that plan
– Ex. Feudalism in Europe
• Philosophers: tried to understand human nature through
observation and reflection in order to create a perfect
society
– Ex. Greek guy named Plato (Republic)
• Historians: looked at the past in order to understand the
present
A New Way to Understand the World
• Social Sciences started to develop between
18th and 19th century (1700-1800)
• World was changing quickly
• People needed new tools to understand it
What factors led to the development
of Social Sciences?
• French Revolution: A new social order was
needed
• Industrial Revolution: Industries were replacing
agriculture
• City life started to replace country life
• The scientific method could be applied to
understand human life and behavior
First Sociologists
History of Sociology
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Auguste Comte (1789-1857)
Cool Nickname: “Father of Sociology”
Coined the term “sociology” in 1822
Believed in Positivism: idea that true knowledge is that
which can be verified and assumes that the only valid
knowledge is scientific. It believes that humans can figure
things out because they have the capacity to research.
• Practiced “cerebral hygiene” – ignored others’
publications in order to keep his mind pure
• “There can be no study of society if it is separated into
portions”
Comte and Positivism
• Positivism – view that information derived
from logic and mathematics is the only
accurate source of knowledge
Positivism in Sports
• How does science play a role in sports?
• Ray Allen’s Shot, Lebron James, Bolt
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vGFwhFzuvo
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueJ3hZZgZj8
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHo9e-fdAbM
Comte’s ideas
• He focused on social order and social change
• Social statics: processes that hold society
together
• Social dynamics: processes that change
society
Video on Comte’s Ideas
• http://educationportal.com/academy/lesson/comtes-3-stagesof-society-theory-of-positivism.html
Comparing Social Statics and Social
Dynamics
Social statics
• Aspects of society that
create order and hold
society together
• Religion, Language, Division
of Labor
• Studies rules and laws that
hold society together
• Comte studied the
interaction between them
Social Dynamics
• The evolution of the mind
through 3 stages
• Least advanced stage is
theological stage (religion)
• Most advanced stage is
positivism
• He saw change in society as
progress
• He saw Western Europe as
the most developed of
regions (he lived there)
Social Statics
Social Dynamics
Law of 3 Stages in development of
society
1st Theological:
supernatural or
divine
explanations to
understand
society and the
world
2nd Metaphysical:
People do not
explain everything
through the divine.
They mention forces
of nature that are not
yet well understood.
It is a step towards
true understanding
3rd Scientific:
(Most
advanced) the
world
explained by
scientific
principles.
Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)
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Respected British author
“Society in America” – democracy in the United States
Talked about marriage, race relations, education, etc.
Study of social systems was “a science of morals and
manners”
Set standards for objectivity in Sociology
Translated Comte’ work for English speakers
Believed scholars should look to solve the issues they studied
Spoke out in favor of women’s rights, religious tolerance, and
the end of slavery
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
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Studied natural and social sciences
Influenced by Charles Darwin
He studied society just like he studied biology
Refused to read work of other scholars
Spencer’s Ideas
• Society functions like a living organism, with a set of
independent parts that work together to maintain
the system
• Changes in societies were part of their evolution
towards perfection
• Best aspect of society would survive over time
• Believed fittest societies would survive over time
• World would be a better place over time
• Spencer’s view on Society is known as Social
Darwinism
• He was widely followed in England and France
Does football reinforce Social
Darwinism in our culture?
Social Darwinism
Problems with Social Darwinism
• Misinterprets the idea of evolution and
natural selection and holds that people who
rise to the top in society are automatically
"superior“
• Society’s elite may take it as an explanation for
their superiority
Day 2 – The End