M1: Lec 1-2

Question 1

Define sociological theory

Answer 1

-body of organized and verifiable ideas which sociologists have developed about social life

Question 2

What does the definition of sociological theory tell us about sociological theory?

Answer 2

• organized, all ideas are related

- verifiable, able to test these ideas

Question 3

Do all sociologists use the same approach to study sociological theory?

Answer 3

No

Question 4

How will we organize our study of sociological theory?

Answer 4

• around three central problems:
• problem of agency
• problem of method
• problem of change

Question 5

What will we use the three central problems for?

Answer 5

We will use them to ask how each theorist answers these questions, as they will all differ in solutions

Question 6

Why are the three problems central?

Answer 6

Every sociologist has to deal with them implicitly or explicitly

Question 7

What question does the problem of agency ask?

Answer 7

-what is the nature of the relationship between human action/individuals and social structure/society?

Question 8

What are the answers for the problem of agency?

Answer 8

-macro, micro. micro-macro linkage

Question 9

Can you believe in macro, micro or micro-macro simultaneously?

Answer 9

No, they are logically contradictory

Question 10

What is macro extremism? (4)

Answer 10

• focuses on properties of societies
• emphasizes social structures and processes
• societies have their own needs, goals, interests and laws of their own
• structural constraint is key

Question 11

What is the diagram for macroextremism?

Answer 11

S–>I

Question 12

What is the diagram for micro-macro linkage?m

Answer 12

I <=> S

Question 13

What is the diagram for micro extremism?

Answer 13

I–>S

Question 14

What do macroextremists think about individuals intentions, motives and reasons?

Answer 14

-irrelevant to sociological explanation of life

Question 15

What is micro extremism? (4)

Answer 15

• gives priority to the individual
• studies face to face interactions, everyday routines etc.
• societies are a result of intentional, meaningful behaviour
• societies are constituted, created and changed by the social interactions of its members

Question 16

What do micro extremists believe about purposes, motives and reasons of individuals?

Answer 16

• these are central explanations of what they do

- significant variables in research

Question 17

What is micro macro-linkage

Answer 17

• rejects both micro and macro extremism
• starts from the link between individuals and societies
• argues that individuals and societies are mutually constituting and mutually constituted
• Gidden’s structuration theory

Question 18

What is Gidden’s structuration theory?

Answer 18

• the patterning of social relationships only exists if individuals actively repeat particular forms of conduct from one time and place to another
• these social relationships make human action possible

Question 19

What does the problem of method ask?

Answer 19

-can the social sciences be modeled like the natural sciences?

Question 20

What are the answers to the problem of method question?

Answer 20

• Yes, naturalism

- No, verstehen

Question 21

What is naturalism?

Answer 21

• a belief that social phenomena can be studied in the same way as natural phenomena
• humans are treated as objects in nature

Question 22

As a naturalist, what does the science of sociology become a search for?

Answer 22

• Invariant laws of social activity

- laws that hold at all place and time

Question 23

What is verstehen?

Answer 23

• a belief that sociology cannot be modelled like the natural sciences
• this is because the purposive component of human action is not found in nature
• Gidden’s double hermeneutic

Question 24

What is Gidden’s double hermeneutic?

Answer 24

• we create society and are influenced by society

- we’re participating in the world we’re studying

Question 25

What does verstehen say about invariant laws?

Answer 25

-laws are really historical products of human action

Question 26

What is the problem of change?

Answer 26

- three questions that every theory of social change at the historical level must answer; - what is changing - what is the course of change - what is the mechanism of change

Question 27

What is the answer to what is changing under the problem of change?

Answer 27

-always society

Question 28

What does the question about the course of change mean?

Answer 28

-what does the social change consist of, how would I describe the change?

Question 29

What is the mechanism of change?

Answer 29

-the cause or causes of social change

Question 30

What are the assumptions every theorist has about the nature of change?

Answer 30

-whether the change is a form of developmentalism or evolutionary theory

Question 31

In what contexts did sociology become a discipline?

Answer 31

- french revolution + American revolution | - Industrial revolution

Question 32

How did the French revolution and American revolution influence sociology?

Answer 32

- these revolutions started a dissolution of social order guided only by secular ideas - people began to try and figure out what was going on, society, classes etc.

Question 33

What three factors were most important in the Industrial revolution?

Answer 33

- Industrialization - Urbanization - Population growth

Question 34

In summation, how did the French, American and Industrial revolution influence the creation of sociology?

Answer 34

- it was a transition from traditional society to modern society - theorists wanted to help deliver humanity from oppression to freedom - wanted to understand consequences of these changes and what brought these changes on

Question 35

Why is Auguste Comte important?

Answer 35

- he coined the term sociology; viewed society as an object of science - made the hierarchy of sciences and law of three stages

Question 36

What would Comte's answer be to the second question?

Answer 36

-he was a naturalist

Question 37

What is the hierarchy of sciences?

Answer 37

- explains the relationships between the natural sciences and the social sciences - rates analytical sense and historical sense

Question 38

Which science was most general and which most complex?

Answer 38

-sociology was most complex and math was most general

Question 39

What is the law of three stages?

Answer 39

-movement of all aspects of human history from theological stage-->metaphysical stage-->positive stage of thought styles

Question 40

What are thought styles?

Answer 40

- shared ways in which people approach and comprehend reality - thought styles determine all other aspects of social life - change in thought style=change in society

Question 41

What was the theological stage?

Answer 41

-everything was explained by Gods or spirits

Question 42

What was the metaphysical stage?

Answer 42

-everything was explained by abstract essences or forces and abstract philosophical speculation

Question 43

What is the positive stage?

Answer 43

- explained by science | - laws that are empirically verified

Question 44

What are Comte's 4 assumptions about social change?

Answer 44

Social change is; - progressive - in stages - inevitable (different societies develop at different rates) - irreversible

Question 45

What type of knowledge passes through the three stages?

Answer 45

-all knowledge, science and non-science

Question 46

Why do some sciences transition through these stages faster?

Answer 46

-astronomy was discovered before bio so will transition before bio

Question 47

Why didn't Comte put psychology into the hierarchy?

Answer 47

- believed psychology to be religious | - categorized it with bio

Question 48

What are the four methods social facts can be collected scientifically?

Answer 48

- observation - experimentation - comparison - historical method

Question 49

What did Comte's definition of positivism entail?

Answer 49

-his critique of Hegel's idea of negation and science should be empirical and research-oriented

Question 50

What does positivism mean now?

Answer 50

-science must be precede by the scientific method

Question 51

What did Comte ultimately want social change to be?

Answer 51

- he wanted social change to be without revolution and disorder - feared social upheaval

Question 52

Why would one refer to Comte as a technocrat?

Answer 52

-he believed highly trained professionals should make social and political decisions

Question 53

Which science did Comte crown the queen of science?

Answer 53

-Sociology

Question 54

Can the problem of change be micro extremism?

Answer 54

-No, because its entered around society