Lec 3. founding fathers of sociology, part 1

Founding fathers of sociology

1. Founding Fathers of Sociology; Part 1 Lecture 3

2. We defined sociology and developed debates on ‘sociological imagination’. We discussed the role of theory in social research. Review from last week:

3. We will be looking at the ideas of Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim; two founding fathers of sociological thought. This week: Auguste Comte Emile Durkheim Positivism The Law of Three Stages Social Facts Mechanic and Organic Solidarity Anomie

4. Comte invented the term ‘ S ociology’ in 1840. His main argument: D espite difference in their subject matters, the same logic and scientific method could be applied to all scientific disciplines (both natural and social sciences). Auguste Comte (1798-1857 )

5. Inspired by the achievements of the natural sciences (e.g. Industrial revolution) , the main task of sociology in Comte’s view was to discover the ‘ laws’ of social world , just as natural sciences such as chemistry and physics had discovered the laws of the natural world. By doing so, sociology should be able to make predictions , to intervene and shape social life in progressive ways and to improve the welfare of all humanity (In response to the French & Industrial Revolutions) . Discovering the laws of social world:

6. Comte wanted sociology to be a ‘ positive science ’. Positivism: ‘the principle that science (including social sciences) should be concerned only with observable entities that are known directly to experience’. Positivism in Comte’s views:

7. On the basis of rigorous observation , laws can be inferred that explain the relationships between observed phenomena. By discovering causal relationships between events, scientists can then predict how future events will occur. For example higher rate of unemployment may lead to higher rate of mental illnesses. A positive approach in sociology aims to produce knowledge about society based on evidence drawn from observation, comparison and experimentation . More on Positivism:

8. In his book ‘ The Course in Positive Philosophy ’ (1830), Comte argues that the society as a whole and each branch of human knowledge passes successively through the following three stages: Theological stage (prior to 1300 AD) : human thinking guided by religious idea and the belief that society was an expression of God’s will. Metaphysical stage (1300-1800 AD) : S ociety came to be seen in natural, not supernatural terms. Positive stage (After 1800 AD) : T he application of scientific methods to study society. Comte believed that sociology was the last science to develop but it was also the most significant and complex one. Comte and Three Stages of Human K nowledge

9. In Durkheim’s view, Sociology turned traditional philosophical questions into sociological ones which demanded real-world research studies . Social life should be studied with the same objectivity as scientists study the natural world. Emile Durkheim (1858- 1917):

10. Definition: ‘Institutions and rules of actions which constrain or channel human behaviour such as law, family, religion, language, kinship, … etc ’. They exert external pressure , constrain or shape our actions though most of the time they are taken for granted or natural or normal parts of life. They exist independently of the individual. On Social F acts:

11. Durkheim believed that social institutions have a hard, objective reality that enables them to be analysed as rigorously as objects in the natural world. Studying social facts as ‘things’:

12. In his analysis, Durkheim used the concept of social facts to explain different rates of suicide in different countries. Conventionally, suicide thought to be the result of extreme personal unhappiness or depression. Durkheim however argues that social facts such as religion, marriage, divorce & social class all exert an influence on suicide rates and therefore, patterns of suicide must be explained in a sociological and not a psychological way. Durkheim’s work on suicide(1897):

13. Definition: In societies or individuals, a condition of instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values or from a lack of purpose or ideals (source Britannica.com). Durkheim argues that social change in modern world as a result of the two major revolutions was so rapid and intense that major difficulties arose. The old values lose their grip on people without any new ones becoming established (refer to French and Industrial Revolutions). Anomie

14. Solidarity: what binds society together? According to Durkheim, solidarity is maintained when individuals are integrated into social groups and regulated by a set of shared values and customs . On S ocial S olidarity:

15. In The Division of Labour (1893) Durkheim argues that the advent of the industrial age also led to a new type of solidarity. In his view, Mechanical Solidarity exists in older cultures with a low division of labour (specialised roles such as work occupations). Most people are involved in similar occupations and are bound together by common experiences and shared beliefs . Organic S olidarity : development of modern industry and enlargement of cities produces a growing division of labour, increasing specialisation of tasks and roles, people become increasingly dependent upon one another, because each person needs goods and services that those in other occupations supply. Mechanical and Organic S olidarity:

16. Both Comte and Durkheim emphasised the importance of applying rigorous scientific methods in social science research. Comte’s ‘Law of Three Stages’ reveals his belief that man is becoming increasingly rational and scientific. Durkheim was highly interested in the new division of labour accompanied by industrialisation. He identified the shift in social bonds from similarity to interdependence as a transition from mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity. Summary

17. sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 17 Homework Read Giddens and Sutton (2015) pp 10-14 and take notes. Review lecture notes and prepare questions for seminar one.