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Beginning to see: a sociological core

Beginning to see: a sociological core. CHAPTER 1. Social Theory. Everyone creates theories to make sense of experience “Common-sense theories”. What is a Social Theory?. 1. Explains how & why specific facts are related 2. Produces testable (falsifiable) hypotheses

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Beginning to see: a sociological core

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  1. Beginning to see: a sociological core CHAPTER 1

  2. Social Theory • Everyone creates theories to make sense of experience • “Common-sense theories”

  3. What is a Social Theory? 1. Explains how & why specific facts are related 2. Produces testable (falsifiable) hypotheses 3. Creates order 4. Make sense of world & our place in the world

  4. Theories of the Heavens and the Earth • Bakuba Kingdom of Congo: • Sun, moon and stars were vomited by a giant deity • Ancient China: • Universe hatched from a black egg • Aztec: Coatlique was impregnated by an obsidian knife • She gave birth to moon goddess (Coyolxanuhqui) and many sons who became the stars • Rest of cosmos emerged from conflict between Coatlique, her son Huitzilopochtli (the god of war) and other children, who were murdered.

  5. North America - Iroquois • Heavenly inhabitant,the Great Spirit • Punished daughter for becoming pregnant • Threw her through a hole formed when he ripped up a giant tree

  6. Iroquois Creation Theory • Ordered Great Turtleto dive into water • Bring up mud • Wait for daughter to land on its back • When she landed, she gathered up mud • Created Earthas island on Great Turtle's back

  7. Giant Turtle with Earth

  8. Theory of the Heavens:The Universe • Greeks described first realistic model of universe • Earth=Center • A sphere • Stars attached to sphere

  9. Earth the Center of the Sphere

  10. Where Do Babies Come From?

  11. Theories of Procreation • Man’s sperm=tiny babies • Grow in woman’s womb • Baby placed in womb by woman’s dead female relatives

  12. Origins of Classical Social Theory • Change after stability (Feudalism: 8th -19th century) • Widespread change • Examples: • Political • Economic • Class conflict • Social disorganization • Uncertainty about the future

  13. Classical Social Theory • What is a theorist? • What does a theorist do?

  14. What Does a Theorist Do? • Observes • Senses • Sight • Sound • Touch

  15. What Does a Theorist Do? • Mind • Selective perception • Filtering what we see and hear to suit our needs

  16. What Does a Theorist Do? • Mind • Logic of ordering • Information that is uniform and well-organized • What comes first? Second? • What causes what?

  17. What Does a Theorist Do? • Mind • Human purpose • Why do we exist? • Connect with one another • To learn • Maintain power

  18. Modernity • Historical period: • 19th & 20th century nation-states

  19. Modernity & Nation-States • Nation-state: Form of state or country • Defined borders and territory • Relatively homogeneous people • Race or cultural background • Same language • Same or similar religion • Share cultural, “national,” values • Iceland, Japan, Portugal

  20. Modernity & the Enlightenment • Faith in: • Science • Objective truth • Rationality • Inevitable progress • Capitalism • Urbanization • Large industrial enterprise

  21. Enlightenment: 17th & 18th Centuries • Reason-> Create better world • Eliminate • Ignorance • Superstition • Tyranny • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBKRCW8gk0k&feature=related

  22. Modernity & the Enlightenment • Mass literacy, media, and culture • Political democracy • Secularization

  23. Sociology & Anthropology Similarities and Differences

  24. Comparing Sociology & Anthropology

  25. Social Sciences

  26. Similarities and Connections • Individual experience shaped by society and cultural traditions • Culture transmitted through social relations (social interaction) • Inspired by classic theorists: • Especially Marx, Durkheim, and Weber

  27. Social Theory Timelines • History of Anthropology Timeline • http://historyofanthropology.eu/ • History of Sociology Timeline • http://www.palgrave.com/sociology/cohen3e/students/timeline.html

  28. Claude Henri de Rouvroy, comte de Saint-Simon (1760-1825)

  29. Saint-Simon: Social Environment • Impoverished aristocratic family • French social philosopher • American Revolution (Soldier) • French Revolution • Industrialization • Enlightenment

  30. Saint-Simon: Ideas • Nature & society governed by laws • Society=Organism • Science replaces religion • Scientists take the place of priests

  31. Saint-Simon: Ideas State’s 3 responsibilities: 1. Public works • “Industrial army” • Construct roads, bridges, canals, plant forests 2. Free education 3. Recreation *

  32. August Comte (1798-1857)

  33. Comte: Social Environment 1) Social Upheaval • Political Instability • Democratic • Oligarchy of middle-class elites • Dictatorship of Napoleon (1799-1814) • Return to Bourbon monarchy • Economic problems • Religious turmoil

  34. Comte: Social Environment 2) Religion & Politics • Parents were Roman Catholics • Power of Church decreasing • Role in education • Land confiscated

  35. Comte: Goals for Sociology 1) Create order • Spiritual order • Social & political problems • Diagnose & Cure like diseases • Society’s basic unit=Family

  36. Comte: Goals for Sociology 2) Discover natural laws 3) Replace Catholic Church as source of: • Truth • Understanding • Order

  37. Comte: Intellectual Roots Saint-Simon • Comte’s mentor • Both had theory with 3 stages

  38. Comte: Intellectual Roots Benjamin Franklin • “Secular code” of morality • Based on scientific understanding of human nature

  39. Comte: Ideas • “Law of 3 Stages” Human Thought 1. Theological Stage(Understanding based on) • Will of Human-like: • Gods • Spirits • Demons • Ghosts

  40. Early Theological Stage Objects are alive & have human-like qualities • Rocks • Trees • Weapons

  41. Later Theological Stage Monotheism • One all-powerful god • Explained everything

  42. 2) Metaphysical Stage (1300 to his time period) • Transition • Upheaval & chaos • Feudal institutions destroyed • Make way for Positive Stage

  43. 3) Positive Stage • Invariable natural laws • Sociological truths • High Priests of Sociology • Positive spirit • Morality & duties regulatesociety

  44. 3) Positive Stage (continued) • Education • Private economic activities • No government intervention • Restrict pretensions of wealthy • Silences the poor

  45. Positive Stage (continued) • Social inequality= “just” • Based on individual abilities • Shared truth

  46. Comte’s Terms • Social Statics= Stability • Social Dynamics= Change • Social Realism • Society is real • “Social organism”

  47. Comte: Human Nature • Humans incapable of self-control • Need social (societal) control

  48. Comte: Women’s Role in Society • Intellectually inferior to men • Emotionally superior (e.g., altruism) • Model altruism for children & men • Make society harmonious

  49. Comte: Relevance to Sociology 1. Coined term “Sociology” 2. Applied sociology 3. Social statics & Social dynamics 4. Emphasize positivism • Science creates truth

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