sociology and science

• Who argued that sociology can adopt methods of natural sciences?

  Comte and Durkheim
• What methods do positivists argue sociology can use?

  Observation, data collection, and hypothesis testing
• What tools does sociology use to collect empirical data?

  Surveys, experiments, and statistics
• What can sociology identify similar to natural sciences?

  Social patterns and generalisations
• Who argues that human meaning is subjective in sociology?

  Interpretivists like Weber
• Why can't sociology control variables like natural sciences?

  Sociology studies complex, unpredictable societies
• What is reflexivity in sociology?

  Sociologists are part of the society they study
• Why might being scientific benefit sociology?

  It may give sociology more credibility
• What is one aim of sociology similar to science?

  To predict and explain social problems
• How can a scientific approach help governments?

  It allows for evidence-based policy creation
• What does a purely scientific approach to sociology risk ignoring?

  Human agency, free will, and emotions
• What is a limitation of forcing sociology to be like science?

  It limits creativity and alternative methods
• How can treating people as variables dehumanize society?

  It reduces individuals to mere statistics
• What are the arguments for and against sociology being a science?

  For:

  • Can adopt scientific methods (Comte, Durkheim)
  • Uses quantitative research tools (surveys, experiments)
  • Identifies social patterns and generalisations

  
  

  Against:

  • Human meaning is subjective (Weber)
  • Studies open systems (Popper)
  • Reflexivity affects objectivity
• Who argued that sociology can adopt scientific methods?

  Comte and Durkheim
• What tools does sociology use to collect data?

  Surveys, experiments, and statistics
• How does sociology identify social patterns?

  By studying phenomena like Durkheim’s study of suicide
• What methods do positivists believe sociology can use?

  Observation, data collection, and hypothesis testing
• What do interpretivists argue about human actions?

  They are subjective and can't be measured objectively
• What type of systems does sociology study according to Popper?

  Complex, unpredictable open systems
• Why is reflexivity a concern in sociology?

  Sociologists cannot be fully detached from society
• What is the predictive power of sociology?

  To solve social problems like crime and inequality
• Why might sociology gain legitimacy by being scientific?

  It could influence policy and public opinion
• How does a scientific approach support evidence-based policy?

  It allows governments to use real data
• What does a purely scientific approach to sociology risk ignoring?

  Human agency, emotions, and meaning
• What is a limitation of forcing sociology to be like science?

  It limits creativity and alternative methods
• How can treating people as variables dehumanize society?

  It reduces individuals to mere statistics
• reasons sociology can, can't, should, shouldn't be a science

  can

  1. use scientific methods
  2. QT research
  3. finding patterns and trends

  can't

  1. humans are subjective
  2. uses open systems
  3. reflexivity

  should

  1. gain legitimact
  2. predictive power
  3. support evidence based policy

  shouldn't

  1. ignores human agency
  2. restrictive methods
  3. dehumanises/sociological rape