The Origins of Sociological Thinking

1. The Origins of Sociological Thinking Sociology PPT 2 September 2013

2. Origins • Origins go back to Greek times with Plato and Aristotle • This focused on what things should be like rather than what it was. • Began to change in the 17th century during the Scientific Revolution.

3. Sociology and the Age of Enlightenment • Charles Montesquie, Jean-Jaque Rousseau, and Jacques Turgot • Questioned authority, prejudices, tradition, etc. • (Social thought is expanding) • BUT NOT FOR WOMEN YET – still second class citizens

4. Sociology and Industrialization/Urbanization • Industrialization – definition? • Urbanization – definition? • What affect do you think these processes had on social thought?

5. Early Modern Sociology • Interested in analyzing social order and stability: • Auguste Comte – coined term Sociology; father of sociology. • Positivism – the world can be best understood through scientific inquiry. • Harriet Martineau – just beginning to receive recognition bc she is female. • Built on Comte’s work • But explores women, children and “sufferers”

6. Early Soc. Continued • Herbert Spencer – Social Darwinism • Emile Durkheim – said more can be done and stressed social change. • Karl Marx – Conflict is necessary for social change