introduction to social sciences, difference between social and natural sciences

1. INTRO TO SOCIAL SCIENCES
Dr. SHAFAYAT ALI

2. Social Sciences
The social sciences are the fields of scholarship that
study society. "Social science" is commonly used as an
umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of
the natural sciences
The social sciences describe disciplines that explore
human behavior and use the scientific method where
information is collected and analyzed.

3. Social Sciences (cont.)
Social sciences can be defined as the scientific study of
human society and social relationship.
The field of human knowledge that deals with all aspects of
the group life of human beings. So it is subject to change with
the changes the human behavior. ( behavioral sciences)
Social Problems and social science connection
Example: Poverty and Social science ( Economics)

4. Emergence of Social Sciences
The history of the social sciences begins in the roots of ancient
philosophy.
In Ancient history, there was no difference between
mathematics and the study of history, poetry or politics.
The term "social science" may refer either to the specific
sciences of society established by thinkers such as Comte,
Durkheim, Marx, and Weber.

5. Components of Social sciences
These include:
• Anthropology Business administration
• Psychology Communication
• Sociology Criminology
• Geography Economics
• Political Science Education
• Economics International relations

6. Types of Social sciences (cont.)
ANTHROPOLOGY…
• Studies the behavior of human culture from the past and
present The study of the unity and diversity of human
culture and society from a comparative and global
perspective.
Example of an anthropological question is:
Why is death celebrated in some cultures?

7. Types of Social sciences (cont.)
PSYCHOLOGY….. Studies the thought processes and behavior of
the individual.
Example of a psychology question is: Does violent media cause people
to become violent?
SOCIOLOGY……. Studies human social life and groups in society.
Example of a sociological question is: Why is crime increasing
amongst lower-class income groups?

8. Types of Social sciences (cont.)
Geography…The study of the earth (human and physical)
Political science …. The study of how we are govern (law)
Sociology …The study of society (how we get along)
Economics ..The study of supply and demand (money, resources)

9. Natural Science
• A branch of science that seeks to explain the rules that govern
the natural world by using the Empirical and Scientific method.
Subject Areas
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Earth science
Astronomy

10. Humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study the human
condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical,
or speculative.
• Ancient and modern Languages,
• Visual and Performing Arts such as music
• Theatre Arts.

11. Importance of social science in philosophy
The study of philosophy of social science enable us to think
clearly and carefully about important issues.
The study of philosophy of social science enable us to take a
step back from our everyday thinking and to explore deeper and
bigger questions which underpins our restricted thoughts

12. Importance of social science in philosophy
The focus in the study of philosophy of social sciences is to
learn not what to believe but how to think.
 Philosophy of social sciences let us think about different social
phenomenon’s like civil rights, justice, equality, and
responsibility among individuals.

13. Natural Sciences …vs…Social Sciences
• Natural sciences use the
scientific method in order to
study the world around us.
• Scientific Method are fairly
reliable.
• Social sciences” refers to
the disciplines that study
human interactions:
Sociology, Economics etc.
• They do not qualify as
sciences since they
generally do NOT use the
Scientific Method.

14. THANK YOU