Unit Test #1 Flashcards
History
Now:
- technology accelerates pace of life, potential for destruction/environmental problems
Then:
- Life centered on need to survive; led to cultures
- Relied of religious leaders + medicine men (believed they could influence forces that controlled life on earth i.e through sacrificial ceremonies)
Theories & legends:
- The Great Hare (Algonquin legend): gave men and women a forbidden package of eternal life, someone opened the package and eternal life escaped
- Inuit in Greenland: believed there was originally no light and death, so light was exchanged for morality
- Jews, Christians and Moslems: monotheism, Adam & Eve
Age of enlightenment (1700s)
- Growing human awareness
- Voltaire: French philosopher, criticized French society, the monarchy and the church (corrupt)
- Philosophical period→ renewed push towards democracy
- Ruled by reason/science over faith, privilege, wealth
- More people have power without knowledge (con)
Industrial Revolution (late 18th early 19th century)
- Increased literacy, machinery, education, transportation and factories
- Created issues i.e pollution
Throughput model
- As much product in as short of time in as little cost as possible
- Introduced consumerism/overconsumption
- Commodify labour/ability
- Emphasis on a person’s ability to participate in a consumer society
Science
- Natural (BCP) vs behavioral (SAP)
- Physical vs. Social
Perception
- The way we view things based on our biases and lived experiences
- Not an excuse for moral relativism
Sociology
- Study of human groups/societies
- how groups (large or small) influence/relate to individuals and vice versa
Job of a Sociologist
- study how groups affect the behavior and thinking of its members
- look for patterns, consequences and long-term changes in society as a result of institutions
A.Comte
- Father of sociology as a science
Beliefs: - society is more powerful than the individual
- most important institution was family
- sociologists could improve society
- Believed that because society was formed by people it could also be changed by people
- influenced by the French Revolution
E. Durkheim
Beliefs:
- humans are naturally selfish/violent
- society was needed by people
- Strong and punitive institutions ( esp. religion & governments) preserve order
- Cynical!
K. Marx
Beliefs:
- the minority of wealthy people impose -their power/oppression on the majority
- The wealthy control institutions to their benefit
- Against religion (taught poor to stay poor)
- Pyramid diagram → believed the lower class would overthrow the top cyclically
- Eventually, the lower class will overthrow the upper class and flip the system
- Attributed to Communism
Marginalization theory
- Belief that social institutions purposely keep the rich rich and the poor poor. i.e church, police, school …
- Do so through: norms, isms(class-, race-), systemic issues, bias
- Diagram: the more you occupy, the easier it will be to gain wealth/power
Marginalization theory Diagram Traits
Christian
Male
Able-bodied
White
Rich
English-speaking
Straight
Meritocracy
- Belief that people receive what they put in
- Theory opposed in modern day i.e the study of black vs white students
Psychology
- Study of the human mind
- Physical → the actual brain process
- Behavioural → how people act/think
- Environmental → how people are influenced by their surroundings
