THEORIES- SOCIOLOGY AND SCIENCE Flashcards
What does the term “science” typically refer to?
Natural sciences such as biology and chemistry, which search for natural laws and provide explanations based on objective facts from observable phenomena.
What is empiricism in natural sciences?
The testing of statements through experiments, where proven statements become accepted as scientific facts through replication.
How do positivists view the application of scientific methods to society?
They argue it is possible to apply the logic and methods of natural sciences to study society, creating objective knowledge to solve social problems and achieve progress.
What is verificationism in positivist methodology?
It is the process of examining data, forming a theory, verifying it through evidence, and accepting it as a social fact if confirmed.
Why do positivists favor the experimental method?
Because it allows systematic and controlled testing of hypotheses, uncovering and measuring patterns of behavior using quantitative data.
How did Durkheim demonstrate sociology as a science through his study of suicide?
He analyzed official statistics across European countries, identified patterns in suicide rates, and concluded that social facts like integration and regulation influence suicide.
What is the main distinction between open and closed systems in realism?
Open systems cannot control and measure all variables, whereas closed systems can, with laboratory experiments being typical in closed systems.
How do relativists view the study of unobservable phenomena in natural and social sciences?
Both can study unobservable structures by observing their effects, e.g., black holes in physics or meanings attached to actions in sociology.
Why do interpretivists reject the scientific approach for studying human beings?
They argue sociology focuses on meaningful social action and internal meanings, which cannot be understood through objective, scientific methods.
What is verstehen in interpretivism?
The process of understanding human behavior by putting oneself in others’ positions to interpret the meanings behind their actions.
What is the postmodernist critique of sociology as a science?
They argue that science is a meta-narrative claiming a monopoly on truth, which excludes other valid perspectives and can be used to dominate society.
How does Kuhn define a paradigm in science?
A paradigm is a way of viewing the world in a particular period, underlying the theories and methodologies of science during that time.
What are Kuhn’s three stages in the development of science?
Pre-science: No central paradigm.
Normal science: Stability with accepted explanations.
Revolutionary science: Crisis leading to a paradigm shift.
Why does Kuhn argue that sociology is in the pre-science stage?
Because sociology lacks a single accepted paradigm, with competing perspectives like Functionalism and Marxism.
What is Popper’s principle of falsification?
A valid science must aim to refute hypotheses, finding evidence to falsify them rather than merely verifying them.
