Presentation about HUmans

1. UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SOCIETIES
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SOCIETIES
Chapter IV:
Discussant: Ma. Kinien Kate L. de Lima

2. From early hominids to modern Homo sapiens, human society evolved over
millions of years, culminating around 50,000 years ago.
Agriculture marked a significant shift from nomadic to communal living,
echoing strategies seen in other social animals like wolves.
Sociology emerged to study and address societal complexities, emphasizing
the importance of collective understanding and action for societal well-
being.

3. Society significantly impacts individuals' lives, influencing their upbringing
and perspectives in complex ways. Sociologists use sociological imagination
to explore societal influences like culture and institutions, while employing
scientific investigation to address societal issues objectively. This scientific
approach is crucial for understanding and solving societal challenges.
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SOCIETIES
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SOCIETIES

4. SOCIAL FORCES IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
SOCIAL FORCES IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

5. The modern world is an iron cage of rational systems
from which there is no escape.
In the modern world, rationalism prevails, defined as employing
logical systems to analyze issues and reach conclusions.
Philosophical and sociological theories stem from rational
philosophical systems of thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas,
and Descartes.
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6. Capitalism tends to sow the seeds of its destruction.
Capitalism emerged in the modern era, facilitating the industrial
revolution and supplanting feudalism in Europe. Yet, according to
Karl Marx, it didn't eradicate the oppressive feudal system; rather,
it replaced landlords with capitalists and peasants with laborers,
essentially renaming the same underlying dynamics.
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7. The city spawns a particular type of personality.
With the growth of the city, individuals too began to change their
general outlook in life to suit the changes brought about by the
modern world and capitalism.
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8. In their social lives, people tend to put on a performances
variety of theatrical.
People see themselves as the main characters in life's drama, with the
world revolving around them. The ancient idea of humans being part
of nature has been replaced by the belief that humans control nature.
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9. The social world is defined by principles of reciprocity in
give-and-take relationships.
Consumerism reigns as goods are exchanged between sellers and
buyers, facilitated by money. This interconnected system benefits
everyone involved - sellers, buyers, manufacturers, and consumers.
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10. People create the social worlds that ultimately come to
enslave them,
Modern societies may appear free, yet they confine individuals' minds
to limited societal matters, restricting their perspectives and effectively
enslaving them to societal norms.
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11. People always retain the capacity to change the social
worlds that constrain them.
Despite being products of their social environment, individuals possess
the power to challenge and change the societal constraints limiting
their freedom once they acknowledge their enslavement.
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12. Society is an integrated system of social structures and
functions.
The society is composed of complex social structures and
functions. These functions and structures are intertwined inside
the society.
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13. Society is a "juggernaut" with the ever present possibility of
running amok.
Societies can spiral out of control due to their unpredictable nature.
Despite a facade of liberalization, the Western world has become
more oppressive. While founded on ideals of freedom, modern society
often restricts true individual expression, leading to oppression and
exclusion.
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14. While it appears that the western world has undergone a
process of liberalization, in fact it has grown increasingly
oppressive.
Western civilization has developed under the banner of freedom and
liberty, amidst political upheavals. However, the reality contradicts this
ideal, as the current social system often stifles individuality and imposes
oppressive norms. This conformity can be unforgiving to those who
resist, perpetuating a cycle of oppression.
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15. The world has entered a new postmodern era increasingly
defined by the inauthentic, the fake, by simulations of
reality.
The postmodern era challenges the rationalistic views of reality that
dominated the modern world. Sociologists' perspectives on
contemporary society are shaped by factors such as political
revolutions, the industrial revolution, socialism, feminism, urbanization,
religious changes, and advancements in science.
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16. Political revolutions were not the only factor that shaped
sociological way of thinking. There were also intellectual
revolutions that motivated sociologists to think in that fashion. The
age of Enlightenment served as a springboard for intellectual
nursery in sociological thinking. It was an age when people
began to realize the role of human intellect in shaping the lives of
people. However, there were also anti enlightenment movements
that went against its idea of too much intellectual radicalism that
undermined other social forces such as values, morals and
religion.

17. French sociology was shaped by Comte, Saint-Simon, and
Durkheim. Although their ways of thinking were not in uniformity
with each other, they all shared the intellectual heritage of the
enlightenment.

18. German sociological thought was heavily shaped by influential
figures like Marx and Weber. Hegel's belief in the power of ideas
to influence the material world influenced Marx's socialist ideas,
which were further developed by Feuerbach. However, Marx
criticized Feuerbach for his superficial treatment of materialism.
In contrast, Weber focused on rationalization theory to explain
social phenomena, departing from Marx's materialistic
perspective.

19. In British Sociology, what were given importance were political
economy, ameliorism and social Darwinism. Political economy
was brought by the rise of the capitalistic state and the industrial
revolution. The British thinkers saw capitalism in a positive light.
Ameliorism, on the other hand, centers on the individual. Social
problems are attributed to the individuals and not to the society
itself. Sociologists like Herbert Spencer became influential figures
because of his idea of social evolution. The theory of Charles
Darwin regarding evolution of species and natural selection were
used to explain the progress of society.

20. Italian sociology had its contribution to sociological theory
through the Genius of Vilfredo Pareto. His idea was different from
the other sociologists that came before him because he gave
importance not to rational principles but to non-rational
principles. Non-rational principles according to him shaped the
society and would continue to do so.