sociology as a science Flashcards
(11 cards)
Who argues that sociology is a science?
Positivists
Who argues that sociology isnt a science?
Interpretivists
What do positivists argue about sociology being a science?
It’s possible to apply the logic and methods of natural sciences to the study of society
This will bring objective knowledge, found in natural sciences
In positivism, what is the method for discovering laws on how society works?
Explain
Induction- involves accumulating data about the world through careful observation and measurement
As our knowledge grows, we begin to see general patterns e.g. observing that when objects drop, they fall towards the earth at the same rate as acceleration
Why do interprevists argue that sociology is not a science?
Sociology is about internal meanings, not external ones
Science only deals with laws of cause and effect, not human meanings
E.g. science explains an apple falling to the ground due to gravity, not explaining the conciousness and choice of apple
Sociology studies people, who do have conciousness
What do interpretivists argue about free will?
People have this, and can therefore excercise choice, rather than responding automatically to external stimuli, humans can interpret meaning and choose how to respond
E.g. when motorists stop at a red light, they interpret the rule of red light, not due to a force telling them to stop
Unlike positivists, individuals are not controlled by external social facts, but choose to construct their own social world
Alternatively, what does Kuhn argue about sociology being a science?
Why
Sociology can only be a science once all sociologists adopt a single shared paradigm
If there is not a general consensus, there will be rival schools of thought, defeating science
What is a paradigm according to Kuhn?
Set of norms, shared by members of a scientific community e.g. physicists
It defines what science is, providing a basic framework of assumptions, principles and techniques
How do paradigms differ to traditional sociology?
Scientists come to accept the paradigm uncritically as a result of their socialisation
Unlike sociology students, they are not encouraged to have rival perspecties
What is a benefit of paradigms according to Kuhn?
Allows scientists to agree on the basics of their subject
What are 2 criticsms of Kuhn’s paradigm
Postmodernists argue that a paradigm isnt desirable as it sounds like a meta-narritave (dominating the view of what reality is like), this silences minority view, falsely claiming they have access to the truth
No current shared paradigm in sociology, e.g. conflicts between perspectives on whos the most opressed (marxists, feminisits [rad,lib])
