Sociology and The Natural Sciences Essay - 1067 Words

Sociology is the study of society as well as the pursuit of knowledge regarding human social activities however, the entity’s legitimacy as a science is a concept worth discussion. Although sociology is different at face value than the natural sciences, the two possess fundamental similarities by which problems are recognized and explained. With the explanation of why sociology is a science, the next step would be to specify what type of science sociology is and how it relates to the natural sciences. Karl Popper is an often cited philosopher when addressing the concern of sociology as a science and by his logical explanation of science one can easily deduce that sociology is a science. In his article problems are discussed as the†¦show more content†¦This foundational aspect is the bond which ties the social sciences with the natural sciences. The natural sciences are often deemed true sciences because they are widely believed to objectively evaluate problems, create and implement solutions, and then scientifically test or critique these solutions. The foundation of the scientific process is one which is akin to the process which sociology utilizes to expand knowledge and fix problems. While on the surface social sciences and natural sciences may practice differently, the point which Karl Popper makes is that they possess relationships at the foundational level making sociology a science. Each of the two begins with a problem which is discovered through observation. After the problem is recognized, a solution is formed and then tested and critiqued. If the solution is found to be false, a new solution is formed while conversely if a solution is found to be true, it is accepted until it can be disproven. Physics, like all sociological theories, has gone through this process of formation, evaluation and acceptance since its inception. Theories which were once recognized as being legitimate are now considered false as a result of experimentation. Therefore, if sociology goes through the same process as Popper indicates, than logically it must be a science. With the argument that sociology is a scienceShow MoreRelatedEssay Positivists 1421 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Positivists believe that we can gain true and objective knowledge of reality by applying methods of natural sciences in sociology . For them, reality exists independently of the human mind and nature is made up of objective, observable, physical facts that are external to our minds. They believe that like matter, humans are directed by an external stimuli-the society-and they act accordingly (example: functionalism, Marxism). 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