Is sociology a science debate Flashcards
what are the 4 points of the debate?
-can
-should
-can’t
-shouldn’t
what does the word can mean?
possible, has the ability
what does the word can’t mean?
impossible, doesn’t have the ability
what does the word should mean?
desirable, want it to be
what does the word shouldn’t mean?
even if it could, it is not desirable
who said that sociology can and should be a science?
positivists
who said that sociology can’t and shouldn’t be a science?
interpretevists
what did positivists say in terms of being the cheerleaders of science?
we can create a ‘science of society’ to solve social problems and achieve progress in society.
what did Auguste Comte about society?
society is an objective, factual reality that can be measured, applying the same methods, logic and procedures
what are social facts according to Durkheim?
scientific laws about society, they are tested/proven
what is the AO2 for Durkheim’s support for sociology being a science?
Durkheim’s study on the official statistics on suicide patterns
what is the goal of sociology according to Durkheim and how does this link to science?
-use science to identify patterns
-predicting future events would guide social policies to cure social ills.
what is the evaluation of science being able to be a science?
-difficulties of studying people scientifically
-manipulating results and Hawthorne effect
-free-will, choice and consciousness
-people are unpredictable
-scientific settings are artificial
THEREFORE, it is impossible, sociology cannot be a science
what did Comte say about methods of science?
‘if we borrow the methods of science success will follow.’
what are the reasons as to why sociology should be a science in terms of modernity?
-science was respected
-people more likely to believe if considered a science, because science grew and became the source of truth
-technology made it easier for research and to spread ideas
-rational thinking and logic, people may believe sociological ways of thinking
what does sociology ensure?
-prestige
-authority
-status
-protection
-truth
who disagrees that sociology should be a science?
feminists
why do feminists believe that sociology should not be a science?
-science is male-dominated and patriarchal so they don’t want to use patriarchal methods/critical thinking
-research hierarchy, participants are used and discarded
what do feminists want instead of scientific methods?
–use verstehen and rapport
-bring validity and understanding
-more flexible hierarchy
what was the quote that Popper said, which supports that it can’t be a science?
‘there will always be one black swan around the corner.’
what is verification and who seeks it?
WHAT= aim to find evidence to prove theory right, gain patterns that only support hypothesis
WHO= sociologists
what is falsification and who seeks it?
WHAT= bombarded with challenges to prove them wrong, if it can’t be proven wrong, we can say it is right.
WHO= scientists
what are paradigms?
shared and agreed set of beliefs, they become a norm that all scientists accept and adhere to.
who came up with the idea of paradigms?
Kuhn
why does sociology not have any paradigms?
too much disagreement
eg- structuralist vs action
what is the analysis of sociology never being able to be a science?
-they would need a shared paradigm but this would never happen
what did Popper say about sociology not being able to be a science?
change method of testing, abolish verification and replace with falsification
what did Kuhn say about sociology not being able to be a science?
resole disagreements and overcome differences to create a unified paradigm
who believes that sociology shouldn’t be a science?
Postmodernists
what do postmodernists believe about science?
think of all the harm science can cause
who is an example of a postmodernist who believe sociology shouldn’t be a science?
Anderson
what are the two harms caused by science?
1- Military/Political harm - science used as a weapon
2- Medical harm - through medication usage or belief about health
what are some examples of military/political harm?
-use of napalm
-nazi experiments
-nuclear weapons
what are some examples of medical harm?
-morning sickness pill scandal
-Andrew Wakefield and MMR and autism, was found to be 100% a fraud
why are scientific approaches dangerous according to postmodernists?
it claims monopoly of the truth (trust it and don’t challenge it)
