Sociology as a science

Question 1

What is the definition of science ?

Question 2

When did science appear?

Answer 2

• Science developed as apart of the enlightenment
• Began the process of rationalisation( weber)
• Developed in modernity

Question 3

Who was the first person that introduced sociology as a science ? WHY DID HE COME to this conclusion ?

Answer 3

• DURKEHIM ..

Question 4

What 6 characteristics does science unusually have ?

Answer 4

• Objectivity - this is where researchers obtain an element of distance from there research in the pursuit of fact not opinion
• Value freedom - This is where researchers do not allow their opinion/ values/ experiences to impact their collection of data
• Inductive approach - This is where researchers start with a hypothesis , then find evidence to support it
• Quantitative methods - this is where researcher’s aim to gather numerical data which enable’s comparisons and trends ( cause and effect relationships)
• Aims to make predications and generalisations( aim for a large sample)
• Aims to obtain facts about phenomena- rather than gaining opinions , scientists aim to obtain the absolute truth

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Question 5

Who argues that sociology can and should be a science ?

Answer 5

• Positivists
• Realists
• Functionalists
• Marx

Question 5

Who argues that sociology can and should be a science ?

Answer 5

• Positivists
• Realists
• Functionalists
• Marx

Question 6

Which theories argue that sociology cannot be a science ?

Answer 6

• Interpretivism
• feminism
• postmodernism

Question 7

Which theorists question whether science lives up to scientific principles ?

Answer 7

• Popper
• kUHN
• kaplan

Question 8

What is the positivist view that sociology an be a science ?

Answer 8

They argue that sociology can meet all the scientific criteria when using quantitative data such as experiments , and OS

• As according to positivists sociology should aim to be objective and value free in order to get factual knowledge and social facts ie in Durkehims study of Le suicide and Milgram’s obedience and authority study which used experiments

Question 9

What is the realist view on sociology being a science ?

Answer 9

They argue that sociology can be a science

• Sayer argues that science operates under a open and closed system where in a nut shell closed systems allow all variables to be controlled and predictions to be made which is vey scientific, and an open system where even though all variables cannot be controlled they can still enable predictions and