Sociology As A Scientific Discipline Essay - 2959 Words

SOCIOLOGY AS A SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE Is sociology a scientific discipline? The issue of whether sociology is a science or a scientific discipline is an issue that has raised a lot of controversy for a long time. There are scholars who subscribe sociology is a science while others claim it is not. Even sociologists themselves have been divided on the issue example Emile Durkheim and Auguste Comte are for the view that sociology is a science while German Sociologist Max-Weber does not subscribe to this view. (Mondal, n.d.) To solve this controversy it is essential first to understand clearly what science is and what sociology is. What is science? Science is a complex term to define and it has been given different meaning by various disciplines. In general science can be defined as a body of knowledge that is organized and is acquired systematically through observation and experimentation to describe and explain phenomena. The term science is also used to refer to the systematic act of acquiring knowledge. A scientific method is used in acquiring scientific knowledge through observation, experimentation and generalisation. (Mondal, n.d.) The knowledge collected or facts are linked together in their casual sequence to draw well-founded inferences. (Mondal, n.d.) Characteristics and proponents of science i. Method- in science scientific methods are used. Scientific methods include observation, hypothesis, testing and measurement, verification and re-verification. (Farooq, 2012)Show MoreRelatedLike Any Scientific Discipline, Sociology Has Its Own Object1455 Words   |  6 PagesLike any scientific discipline, sociology has its own object and subject of research. The object is understood as the sphere of reality that is to be studied, and to this the research is directed. Consequently, the object of sociology is society. 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Sociology throughout its earlyRead MorePublic Sociology And Its Normative Commitment1169 Words   |  5 Pages4.1. Public sociology and its normative commitment Concerning Burawoy’s appeal for sociologists to be involved in social change and improvement, Hanemaayer Schneider (2014) asked how and under what circumstances should or should not sociologists advocate for social change? And how do we know what is best for humanity? Noteworthy of Durkheim’s concerns of public sociology is the caution of the discipline being value-ladden in terms of its normative commitments on social issues (Hanemaayer, 2014)