SOCI 330 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Persian Letters, Mechanical And Organic Solidarity, Social Fact
Document Summary
The social fact - things exist outside the level of the individual by society. Can be studied empirically, society dictates/regulates our behavior. We are influenced by society, we are not unique. Emergent properties (p. 69-73) are things that are created, dynamics of, organic beast of shifting society. We must consider the nature of society and not that of the individual. Combined action of individuals created something larger - the emergent property which then becomes a social fact. By virtue of being apart of society, dismisses psychology in favor of sociology (same as weber) We are born into society, so we become apart of it, socialized with it. We can study behaviors because they are universal to individuals within one society. Social facts are causal and functional - must consider these separately: 82 - social phenomena do not generally exist for the use they produce, will continue to evolve ex: halloween.
