the social sciences asthestudy of society

THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AS THE
STUDY OF SOCIETY
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES WITH THE
NATURAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
LESSON 1 - SOCIAL SCIENCES (THEORY AND PRACTICE)

Gintong Aral
“NAPAKAHIRAP mahanap ng
politikang dalisay, totoo, at tapat sa
mga panahong ito, dahil kasakiman
at ambisyon ang bumubulag sa
pamahalaan.”
~Apolinario Mabini

TANONG NI KIKO
Naniniwala ka ba na halos lahat
ng kilos, galaw, at desisyon na
ginagawa mo at maging ang
mga salitang binibitawan mo sa
araw-araw ay may kaakibat na
“Social Science?”

INTRODUCTION
Society is the place where social interactions and the
human relationship with his/her environment happen. On
the other hand, humans are the prime movers of
interactions, and they cause changes that occur in our
society. Because of human eagerness to explain what is
happening in the world, it resulted in the birth of the
three major divisions of sciences: the social sciences,
natural sciences, and humanities.
These sciences are interrelated with the common
primary goal to explain how man is influenced by
society and how society is shaped by man.

The human quest to search for the truth and
investigate phenomena to satisfy human
curiosity and maximize our existence is the
primary reason why we continue in our journey to
broaden our knowledge and understanding
about the world and humans.
With this, man is inclined to organize a system of
knowledge that will study general truths or the
operation of general laws, especially as
obtained and tested through a scientific
method, or what we call science.

Social Science
The social sciences are a group of academic
disciplines that study society, human behavior,
and social relationships. They aim to understand
how individuals interact with one another, how
societies function and evolve, and how cultural,
economic, and political structures shape human life.
Unlike the natural sciences, which focus on the
physical world, the social sciences focus on the
social world—examining both individual actions
and the larger systems that influence them.

Social science is all about people living together in
groups, families and communities, i.e., how they live,
how they interact, how they behave, which language
they use for communication, what traditions they
follow, what do they wear, what their religious
affiliation is, which ideology they promote, etc.
It helps an individual to understand the society as a
whole, i.e. the conditions which limits our growth and
development and the opportunities which can be
tapped for better livelihood. It helps in creating a
society where human beings can live freely and
happily.

To cut th
e long story
short...
Social science is the study
of human society and
social relationships.

Historical Background
The origins of the social sciences can be traced
back to classical philosophy, when thinkers like
Plato and Aristotle in ancient Greece questioned
how societies should be organized and governed.
However, social science as a systematic and
empirical discipline emerged much later, during
the 17th to 19th centuries, alongside the
development of the scientific method and the rise
of modern society.

It started during the Age of Enlightenment, also
known as the Age of Reason, between the 17th and
19th centuries, which refers to an intellectual and
cultural movement that emerged in Europe. It
emphasized the use of reason, logic, and scientific
inquiry as the primary means of understanding the
world and improving human society.
Enlightenment thinkers sought to challenge
traditional authority, particularly that of the Church
and absolute monarchies, and to promote ideals of
freedom, equality, individual rights, and
progress.

18th Century Development
Key thinkers such as John Locke, Jean-
Jacques Rousseau, Baron de Montesquieu,
Voltaire, Denis Diderot, and Immanuel Kant
explored ideas about natural rights, social
contracts, and the separation of powers. Their
works questioned traditional authority and
proposed that society could be understood
and improved through rational analysis rather
than superstition or divine will.

It marked the formal establishment of social
sciences as academic disciplines. The social
transformations brought by the Industrial Revolution,
urbanization, and capitalism generated new social
problems such as inequality, labor exploitation, and
class conflict. These challenges prompted scholars to
develop theories and methods for analyzing society.
Notable persons during this time were Auguste
Comte, the father of sociology; Karl Marx; Emile
Durkheim; and Max Weber.

In the 20th century, social sciences expanded
rapidly and diversified in both theory and
method. Scholars began integrating
quantitative (statistical and mathematical)
and qualitative (descriptive and interpretive)
approaches to study complex social realities.
The rise of behavioral sciences, focusing on
measurable patterns of human behavior.

The growth of interdisciplinary studies, such
as political economy, social psychology, and
human geography.
The use of survey research, case studies, and
ethnography as standard research methods.
The influence of major theoretical schools,
including functionalism, Marxism, symbolic
interactionism, feminism, and postmodernism.

Contemporary Period
In the 21st century, social science continues to
evolve in response to globalization,
technological change, and environmental
challenges. Researchers now address issues
such as inequality, climate change, migration,
digital communication, and governance in the
global era.
Two social scientists were influenced by this, and
these were Karl Popper and Talcott Parson.

Anthropology
Anthropology studies human beings across
time and space, emphasizing cultural
diversity, social customs, and biological
evolution.
It is divided into several subfields: cultural
anthropology, physical anthropology,
archaeology, and linguistic anthropology.

Economics
Economics investigates how individuals and
societies allocate scarce resources to satisfy
needs and wants.
It encompasses microeconomics, which
focuses on individual and firm behavior, and
macroeconomics, which examines aggregate
economic phenomena such as inflation,
unemployment, and national income.

Geography
Geography examines the spatial relationships
between people and their environments.
It is the science that deals with the description,
distribution, and interaction of the diverse
physical, biological, and cultural features of the
earth’s surface.
Branches: human geography (cultural, urban,
and political) and physical geography.

History
History studies past events and
processes to understand continuity
and change in human societies. It
provides insights into the evolution of
civilizations, political systems, and
cultural identities, enabling societies
to learn from past experiences.

Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of
language as a social and cultural
phenomenon.
It explores the structure, function, and
evolution of language, as well as its
role in communication, identity, and
social organization.

Political Science
Political science analyzes systems of
governance, political behavior, and
power relations.
It explores the functioning of states,
political institutions, and public policy,
as well as issues of authority, justice,
and civic participation.

Psychology
Psychology explores human thought,
emotion, and behavior, seeking to
understand mental processes and
social interactions.
As a social science, it emphasizes the
influence of social environments on
individual behavior and development.

Sociology
Sociology examines human society,
social interactions, and institutions.
It investigates the organization,
development, and dynamics of social
life, focusing on patterns of behavior,
social stratification, inequality, and
change.

Demography
It is the scientific study of human populations,
analyzing their size, composition, and how they
change over time through fertility (births),
migration, and mortality (deaths).
This field uses statistical methods to understand
population dynamics and their social,
economic, and environmental consequences,
which can inform policy and planning.

General concepts
Since the beginning,
humans have always been
curious about what is
happening in themselves
and their environment.
Many theories and laws
explain the different
phenomena and changes
in our bodies, environment,
society, and the world.

Early people sought to explain these
phenomena through mythology. The
advancement of science and technology has
proven to examine the natural causation of
things and thus has debunked numerous
superstitions and mythical beliefs.
However, not all people are informed, and
some still believe in the unseen as the clash
between scientific, mythological, and
religious views goes on.

Natural science deals with the natural
world. It is concerned with the phenomena
and objects of nature and the physical
world.
Natural science involves comprehension,
description, and prediction of natural
phenomena using empirical and
observational evidence.
Natural science

Natural science and social science are related
and integrated into one another and work hand
in hand in explaining the concurrent and existing
theories and changes happening in humans, the
environment, society, and the world as a whole.
Because man, environment, humanities, and
society cannot be studied using one discipline of
science alone, their collaboration makes the
understanding of man and the world relevant
and complete.

To analyze how natural science developed
through time, let us take a glance at its
historical background.
It is divided into six (6) periods: Ancient
Times, Aristotelian Natural Philosophy,
Medieval Natural Philosophy, Newton and
the Scientific Revolution, 19th-Century
Developments, and Modern Natural Science.
Historical Background

This is the period where the ancient
Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Indus, and Chinese
believed that happenings in the world and to
humans are a product of mythological and religious
revelations.
Scholars trace this period to when understanding
the natural world was necessary for survival.
Humans developed observation and curiosity about
the behavior of animals and the usefulness of
plants as a source of food and medicine.
Ancient times

This is the period where Aristotle gave much
attention to the physical and natural world.
He was a pioneer and became known as the
Father of Biology. Some of his works were
about astronomy, meteorology, zoology, and
physics.
His principle served as an inspiration to
Galileo Galilei during the Scientific
Revolution.
Aristotelian Natural Philosophy

This is the period where the Catholic Church
becomes a dominant monopoly of knowledge
with regard to natural philosophy. Theologians
opposed natural science because they
considered it heresy.
During the Middle Ages, those who studied
and experimented with natural science were
considered performers of magic and members
of the occult.
Medieval Natural Philosophy

This is the period where some of the Aristotelian natural
philosophy was debunked and the rise of the Protestant
Reformation began to start conducting a scientific inquiry.
This was also the birth of the scientific revolution, wherein
more natural philosophers gave different perspectives and
methodologies in terms of natural science as natural
philosophy.
Sir Isaac Newton, an English mathematician and physicist,
became the most highlighted natural scientist in this time
because of his Law of Gravitational Force and Laws of
Motion.
Newton & Scientific Revolution

This is the period when natural philosophy
became officially named as natural science.
Natural science institutions emerged, and
more professionals linked to this new field.
The term "scientist," used to identify persons
studying natural science, was invented by
William Whewell in 1834.
19 Century Developments
th

The natural science prospers and further develops
in this period.
Inventions, discoveries, and experimentations are
used for the betterment of man, society, and the
environment.
Today, natural sciences are commonly divided into
life sciences, such as botany and zoology, and
physical sciences, which include physics, chemistry,
astronomy, and Earth sciences.
Modern Natural Science

Natural science can be divided into two
main branches known as biological
science (life science) and physical
science.
Biological science is concerned with living
organisms, whereas physical science is
concerned with the physical world.
Branches of natural science

Anatomy is the study of the structure
of organisms, including internal
organs and body systems. It is closely
linked to physiology and medicine.
A person studying anatomy is called
an Anatomist.
Anatomy

It comes from the two Greek words “bios,”
which means life, and “logos,” which means
study. Biology is the core discipline of life
science.
It studies living organisms and their
interactions with each other and the
environment. Biology serves as the foundation
for all other branches of life science.
Biology

It comes from the Greek word “botane,”
which means pasture, grass, or plant.
Botany focuses on the study of plants,
including their structure, physiology,
growth, reproduction, and evolution.
A person studying plants is called a
botanist.
Botany

It is a branch of natural science that
deals with the study concerning genes,
genetic variation, and heredity of
organisms.
It also includes how human traits are
passed from parents to offspring
through the genetic units called genes.
Genetics

It is a branch of natural science that deals
with the study of the animal kingdom, the
structure, evolution, classification, and
distribution of animals, and how they
interact with their ecosystems.
A person studying zoology is called a
zoologist.
ZoOlogy

Astronomy focuses on celestial objects and
the universe beyond Earth’s atmosphere. It
explores the origin, evolution, and physical
properties of planets, moons, stars,
galaxies, and cosmic phenomena.
Astronomy is one of the oldest physical
sciences, rooted in ancient civilizations’
observations of the skies.
Astronomy

Chemistry examines the
composition, structure, properties,
and transformations of matter. It
explains how substances interact,
combine, and change, making it
essential to both physical and
biological sciences.
Ch
emistry

Earth science studies the structure,
composition, and processes of the Earth. It
focuses on the physical aspects of the planet,
from its layers to its natural systems.
It is the study of how the natural environment
works and how it evolved to its current state.
It includes the study of the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
Earth Science

Physics is considered the fundamental
branch of physical science. It studies
matter, energy, motion, and the forces
that govern the behavior of the universe.
Physics provides the theoretical and
mathematical foundation for most other
physical sciences.
Physics

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