SOCILOGY AND SCIENCE Flashcards
(13 cards)
How do positivists measure society?
Objectively using positivist methods
What is Durkheims quotes on laws
‘All real laws are discoverable’
Give an example whereby you can compare scientific theory to sociological theory
The reason for an apple falling from a tree is gravity. On the same reason a reason for educational failure is material deprivation.
Outline Durkheims study of suicide
According to Durkheim, the social facts for suicide rates are the levels of integration and regulation of individuals. Therefore, Durkheim was able to look at the causal relationship between these social levels and the issue at hand, suicide. Therefore, through observation of this relationship Durkheim could produce social facts which would be explained scientifically.
Why don’t interpretivists believe sociology can be explained as a science?
They believe sociology is based on meaningful social action as opposed to social fact. Therefore, as science only deals with cause and effect and sociology deals with human meanings.
What is the postmodernist view on sociology and sciene
They agree with the idea of scientific sociology. However, lyotard believe that science is just one version of the truth and there is no reason science should be adopted for the model of society
State and briefly outline the four main sociological views on science
Positivist - probe theories by testing a hypothesis (verification)
Popper - prove other theories wrong (falsification)
Kuhn - scientific knowledge is based on paradigms (which offers explanations)
Realist - science is about the search for underlying causes of things
Outline poppers view on science
Science should be based on proving theories wrong rather than proving them right; falsification rather than verification. He claims sociology can be scientific but most is unscientific as it cannot be proved wrong (Marxism)
Define paradigm and give an example.
Paradigms is a version of the truth that dominates scientific thinking fitting the evidence of the world. For example, the idea that climate change is caused my human activity.
Why does kuhns theory imply that sociology cannot be a paradigm
Because a single paradigm is never dominant as sociology is defined by a plurality of views and different interpretations of the world. Therefore cannot be compared to the objective nature of science.
What is the realist views between science and sociology
Natural science and sociology are not too different
What is a closed and open system in science?
A closed system is where variables can be controlled (eg: physics or chemistry) an open system is where veritable are not controlled (earthquakes and weather)
Outline soyers view on the relationships between open systems and social science
in meteorology for example, scientists explore the causal relationships between scientific facts in order to predict where earthquakes are most likely to happen. Similarly, in sociology, one can explore the causal relationship between social facts in order to uncover why things happen.
