1. Sociology emerged in the late 18th/early 19th century as a response to major social changes in Europe, including the Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, and French Revolution. 2. Early sociological thinkers like Comte, Spencer, Durkheim, Marx, and Weber studied society scientifically to understand social order, conflict, and change. 3. Sociology examines human social relationships and institutions from a variety of perspectives, including functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It aims to develop general theories about the structure and development of society.