1. Why sociology is called a science? 2. Views of different sociologists.

1. SOCIOLOGY AS SCIENCE
URMIKANT MANINANDAN SAHU

2. Sociology is the study of society and social behaviour of
human beings.
It covers a vast area of study, including economy, polity,
social structures (size, occupation etc.)
social structures (size, occupation etc.)

3. According to Auguste Comte and Durkheim, Sociology is a
science, because it adopts and applies the scientific methods.
It Makes proper use of scientific methods in the study of its
subject matter.
Hence sociology is considered as science.

4. It involves scientific methods (Sociometry schedule, case-study, interview,
questionnaire)
It makes accurate observation.
Objectivity is possible in Sociology.
It describes cause-effect relationship.
Makes accurate measurement. (Measures social phenomena accurately)
Makes accurate prediction.
Makes generalization. (Universally applicable)
Makes generalization. (Universally applicable)

5. AUGUSTE COMTE
AUGUSTE COMTE
He focused Mainly on stages in the
He focused Mainly on stages in the
development and progress of human
development and progress of human
mind and stressed that these stages
mind and stressed that these stages
co
co-
-related with parallel stages in the
related with parallel stages in the
development of social order, units,
development of social order, units,
development of social order, units,
development of social order, units,
organisation, Material condition of
organisation, Material condition of
human life.
human life.

6. THE THREE STAGES :
THEOLOGICAL /
THEOLOGICAL /
FICTIOUS
FICTIOUS
METAPHYSICAL
METAPHYSICAL
/ ABSTRACT
/ ABSTRACT
POSITIVE /
POSITIVE /
SCIENTIFIC
SCIENTIFIC

7. FICTIOUS
FICTIOUS
•
•Activities of man guided by supernatural power.
Activities of man guided by supernatural power.
•
•Mans thinking was guided by
Mans thinking was guided by theoritical
theoritical dogma.
dogma.
•
•Lack of logical thinking.
Lack of logical thinking.
•
•Priests dominated the stage.
Priests dominated the stage.
•
•Includes concepts like
Includes concepts like Fethism
Fethism,, Anthromorphism
Anthromorphism,, Polythesim
Polythesim,,
•
•Includes concepts like
Includes concepts like Fethism
Fethism,, Anthromorphism
Anthromorphism,, Polythesim
Polythesim,,
Monothesim
Monothesim..

8. ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
•
•It was like a improved theological stage.
It was like a improved theological stage.
•
•Discarded belief in concrete God.
Discarded belief in concrete God.
•
•1
1st
st stage’s principles were taken over by abstract principles.
stage’s principles were taken over by abstract principles.
•
•Abstract power/force guided the world.
Abstract power/force guided the world.
•
•It was a kind of colonial society; means every society has its
It was a kind of colonial society; means every society has its
•
•It was a kind of colonial society; means every society has its
It was a kind of colonial society; means every society has its
ruler and the rulers wanted to dominate and take over the
ruler and the rulers wanted to dominate and take over the
other societies and increase their ruling periphery.
other societies and increase their ruling periphery.

9. SCIENTIFIC
SCIENTIFIC
•
•In this era warriors were replaced by industrialist and the
In this era warriors were replaced by industrialist and the
priests were replaced by scientists.
priests were replaced by scientists.
•
•The minds of this world observed and experimented social
The minds of this world observed and experimented social
world and gave effort to trace out scientific laws governing
world and gave effort to trace out scientific laws governing
them.
them.
them.
them.
•
•This stage is the logical stage of human evolutions.
This stage is the logical stage of human evolutions.

10. KARL MARX
KARL MARX

13. This theory is
This theory is
popularly known as
popularly known as
“
“Marxism
Marxism“.
“.

14. HERBERT SPENCER
HERBERT SPENCER
Spencer shared his work
Spencer shared his work
with Comet and Durkheim,
with Comet and Durkheim,
which was the theory of
which was the theory of
organic analogy.
organic analogy.
He borrowed his
He borrowed his
He borrowed his
He borrowed his
concepts from Biology.
concepts from Biology.