The document provides an overview of sociology as a discipline. It discusses the origins of sociology in 19th century Europe amid industrialization, enlightenment thought, and scientific development. Auguste Comte first coined the term "sociology" in 1838 to describe the scientific study of human social behavior and its origins. The document outlines three main theoretical approaches in sociology: structural-functionalism, social conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It also discusses key concepts like positivism, empiricism, and the stages of human cognition.
(Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought) Michael Kelly (Editor) - Critique and Power - Recasting The Foucault - Habermas Debate-The MIT Press (1994)
The document provides an overview of sociology as a discipline. It discusses the origins of sociology in 19th century Europe amid industrialization, enlightenment thought, and scientific development. Auguste Comte first coined the term "sociology" in 1838 to describe the scientific study of human social behavior and its origins. The document outlines three main theoretical approaches in sociology: structural-functionalism, social conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It also discusses key concepts like positivism, empiricism, and the stages of human cognition.
The document provides an overview of sociology as a discipline. It discusses the origins of sociology in 19th century Europe amid industrialization, enlightenment thought, and scientific development. Auguste Comte first coined the term "sociology" in 1838 to describe the scientific study of human social behavior and its origins. The document outlines three main theoretical approaches in sociology: structural-functionalism, social conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It also discusses key concepts like positivism, empiricism, and the stages of human cognition.
The document provides an overview of sociology as a discipline. It discusses the origins of sociology in 19th century Europe amid industrialization, enlightenment thought, and scientific development. Auguste Comte first coined the term "sociology" in 1838 to describe the scientific study of human social behavior and its origins. The document outlines three main theoretical approaches in sociology: structural-functionalism, social conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It also discusses key concepts like positivism, empiricism, and the stages of human cognition.
• Absolut monarchy and feudal privileges for the aristocracy and the religious establishment vs. enlightening ideals of the new bourgeoisie republic, citizens’ and human rights • Development of trade with European colonies and development of industry, optics, printing, mechanics, artillery, astronomy… • Three major changes: 1) Beginning of industrialization; 2) Expansion of cities and urban population; 3) Emerging of new ideas for democracy and political rights • The era of enlightenment, humanism and scientific development, already started in the 17 cent., blossoming in the 18 and 19 cent. (Adam Smith, Baruch Spinoza, Thomas Hobs, David Hume, John Lock, Isaac Newton, Lessing…) – founding of the Paris’ Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society in London, a bit later the Berlin and Petersburg’s academies, aiming at scientific exploration of natural, human and social phenomenon. Establishment and development of the first scientific journals and other publications • Development of civil class, formal education, need for progress…
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN XVIII/XIX CENTURYPIANO • COTTON GIN
• SOCIUS/SOCIETAS (lat.: society, but also companionship, from socius) + LOGOS (Ancient Greek: principle of reason and judgment) = SOCIOLOGIE (fra.) (Auguste Comte in 1838) • Aristotle’s three methods of public persuasion: Ethos (ethical appeal = the orator is credible and with a good character), Pathos (emotional appeal = the orator is emotive and seeks sympathy), Logos (logical appeal = the orator needs you to thin rationally – the scientist is borne, normative sociological discourse of critical thinking on society in which the human and his/her individual and group behavior – the humanist- positivist approach – is in the center of interest) • Sociology as a way of thinking, as a cognitive discipline, as a segment/level of reality • SEMIOLOGY / SEMIOTICS – the study of signs and symbols, their use and explanation (interpretation) • PHENOMENOLOGY – the science of the structure of experience and conscience.
THEORY OF COGNITION AND POSITIVISM
• The theory of cognition in philosophy is an epistemological discipline – epistemology is the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief (that can be proved) and opinion (as an impression, instinct and/or perception). Epistemology is the study of knowledge: what we know, how we know it, how we know we know it, and how to keep track of it without driving ourselves crazy! It examines the dichotomy (confrontation) between the process of cognition that occurs between the object (the reality) and the subject (one who cognates it). The result of that analyses is positivism and positive cognition. • This theory is social, because is a result od human performance. • Three stages of human cognition (Comte): theological stage (imaginative method – “absolute truths” and supernatural forces); metaphysical stage (abstract method – instead of God, events are determined by the nature); scientific stage (positive method – Renѐ Descartes: “I think; therefore I am!” – lat.: Cogito, ergo sum!). • ONTOLOGY – the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations in universe, opposite of phenomenology. • EMPIRICAL – based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic. • Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about? Chapter 1 Sociology. What is it all about?
THREE MAIN THEORETICAL APPROACHES
• Structural-functionalist approach (Comte, Durkheim, Spenser…) • Treats the society on a macro-level, as a complex system which different parts work together in promoting social solidarity and stability. The society has its own structures with their own (obvious and latent) and social functions (and dysfunctions). • Social-conflict approach (Carl Marx…) • Treats the society on a macro-level, as an arena of inequality that produces conflicts (racial, ethnic, gender, class, generational, status…) and changes. • Symbolic-interaction approach (Max Weber...) • Treats society on a micro-level, as a number of everyday occurrences and experiences of individuals who interact among themselves which creates a commonly shared reality. • STEREOTYPS – a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
(Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought) Michael Kelly (Editor) - Critique and Power - Recasting The Foucault - Habermas Debate-The MIT Press (1994)