Sociology, science and common sense Flashcards
common sense definition
understandings and interpretations of everyday life
how does sociology use common sense?
sees it as a starting point. they have a shared subject matter
weaknesses of common sense
-narrow/limited view based on assumption
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-too involved in everyday life to detach themselves and take another perspective
example of common sense as the base of sociology
queue waiting
Berger talks about the ‘first wisdom of sociology’
‘things are not what they seem’
how does sociology work?
sociologists review systematic evidence, conceive, design and conduct the research. then open the results to scrutiny. use cross-cultural and historical comparisons
features of a science
- causal explanation
- hypothesis testing
- verification
Positivists view of science
test observable evidence against a theory
do positivist view sociology as a science?
YES
criticism of sociology as a science
- putting people in a controlled setting is unhelpful
- cannot quantify results
Kuhn (1962) how do paradigms work?
- science at any given point in time is dominated by a specific paradigm
- accumulated knowledge supports the paradigm, but anomalies are found. i
- if these anomalies mount, a crisis stage is reached…could lead to revolution
- reigning paradigm would be overthrown and a new one takes its place
paradigm definition is elusive
Kuhn uses the term in different ways
what was wrong with Kuhn’s first definition of paradigm?
too broad so is inappropriate and made science appear irrational
problem of paradigms being a political phenomenon
one paradigm wins out over another because its supporters have more power than those who support competing paradigms, not necessarily because their paradigm is better. supporters of one paradigm make little effort to understand competing paradigms.
how does kuhn respond to critics over competing paradigms?
one paradigm wins over another for good reasons including accuracy, scope, simplicity etc
