Jati atroouction to sociology Welcome to this course I Three Goals of this course l. This Course's online Syllabus and Requirements l. Three visions of sociology: Improving Society, Science, Interpretation
Welcome to this course! I. Three Goals of this Course II. This Course’s Online Syllabus and Requirements III. Three Visions of Sociology: Improving Society, Science, Interpretation
Jati atroouction to sociology Three goals of this course 1)Introduce you to sociology as a way of better understanding yourself and others 2)Prepare you to be better consumers of sociological information so as to be better citizens 3)Teach you specific observational and data analysis skills
Three Goals of this Course 1) Introduce you to sociology as a way of better understanding yourself and others 2) Prepare you to be better consumers of sociological information so as to be better citizens 3) Teach you specific observational and data analysis skills
Jati atroouction to sociology This Course's Online Syllabus http://www.camden.rutgers.edul-wood/207syl.htm Please check it regularly for updates and announcements
This Course’s Online Syllabus: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/~wood/207syl.htm Please check it regularly for updates and announcements
Jati atroouction to sociology Three Early visions of Sociology Improving Society Science Interpretation
Improving Society Science Interpretation Three Early Visions of Sociology
Jati atroouction to sociology Q AShamed Early Vision Sociology in the Service of Improving Society Helping rulers manage society more efticient/v? Helping to bring about social change? Whose values? Or should sociology be value-free, not tied to any activist agenda? These remain enduring controversies
A Shared Early Vision: Sociology in the Service of Improving Society • Helping rulers manage society more efficiently? • Helping to bring about social change? • Whose values? • Or should sociology be value-free, not tied to any activist agenda? • These remain enduring controversies
Jati atroouction to sociology Another Early Vision Sociology as Science The study of society can and should be scientific .same kinds of observational methods as natural sCIences same goal of discovering universal laws Auguste Comte: positivism But enduring controversies here too Is the model of the natural sciences appropriate for the social sciences? Can science tell us how to act?
Another Early Vision: Sociology as Science • The study of society can and should be scientific •same kinds of observational methods as natural sciences • same goal of discovering universal laws • Auguste Comte: positivism • But enduring controversies here too: • Is the model of the natural sciences appropriate for the social sciences? • Can science tell us how to act?
Jati atroouction to sociology Another Vision: Sociology as F Interpretation Describe and interpret social life (rather than explain it) Skepticism about the possibility of a science of society Focus on understanding the particular rather than searching for the universal A way of looking at the world
Another Vision: Sociology as Interpretation • Describe and interpret social life (rather than explain it) • Skepticism about the possibility of a science of society • Focus on understanding the particular rather than searching for the universal • A way of looking at the world
Jati atroouction to sociology Sociology contains diverse perspectives Many intermediate positions are possible Improving Society Science Interpretation
Improving Society Science Interpretation Sociology contains diverse perspectives Many intermediate positions are possible
