Chapter 4: Understanding at the macro level: Social meaning&Systems

Question 1

Intentional vs functional explanation

Answer 1

Intentional Explanation?→Explaining something through the intentions of a single agent

Functional Explanation?→explanation of behaviour of something by looking at the function or purpose of such behaviour within the contextual whole

Question 2

What does causality mean?
What does functionality mean?

Answer 2

Assesses the events preceding a phenomenon
When we look at causality we look at the events preceding a phenomenon; explanan is the cause, explanandum is the effect

Assesses the goal a phenomenon serves

Question 3

3 issues with functional explanations?

Answer 3

Functional explanations
- Confuses cause and effect
- Assumes a higher-order regulating system at play
- Views explanans as a necessary condition for the explanadum

Question 4

What is social system theory?

Answer 4

Studies society as a complex system of social things

The study of society as a complex arrangement of elements, including individuals and their beliefs, as they relate to a whole (e.g., a country)