SOC 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Randall Collins, Gisselle, Fathom
4 May 2018
School
Department
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Professor
Jennifer Gisselle Marmol
Reading Memo #1
Randall Collin’s “The Rise of Social Sciences” (p. 3-18) and Jonathan Turner’s “Origin
and Context of Auguste Comte’s Work” (p. 13-21) touch upon different subjects within the field
of sociology. Collin’s text talks about the steps that were taken to pave the way for Social
Science, since any form of independent abstract theory relating to the social world was directly
linked to religion. It wasn’t until the Religious Wars, that an era we know now as the era of
“Enlightenment”, whose takeoff period surged in the 1700s when as Collins said, “religious wars
had died done”, that intellectuals starting viewing society in a distinctive manner. (13). In
Turner’s “Origin and Context of Auguste Comte’s Work”, we get a glimpse at the life of Turner
and the work he’s done for sociology, which emerged from the efforts done post-revolutionary
France (16). He coined the term sociology in 1839 in order to distinguish the social from other
social sciences. He wanted to create an elite group of experiment whose ideas would help
control/advise society’s leaders and help direct it. As Turner mentions, The role of the
sociologist was “not to challenge, but to serve power” (Turner, 17). He is able credited as the
founder of sociology and came up with the three stages of intellectual’s development. He also
contributed to the positivist society, which is a philosophy of science, a way of thinking about
what science is and how it should be done (lecture).
Both of these text discuss the origin of the discipline of social science, which is a
concept I well agree upon. I cannot fathom having to live solely under the interpretations of
theological history. I believe social sciences has shaped our now, and throughout the course of
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Document Summary
Randall collin"s the rise of social sciences (p. 3-18) and jonathan turner"s origin and context of auguste comte"s work (p. 13-21) touch upon different subjects within the field of sociology. Collin"s text talks about the steps that were taken to pave the way for social. Science, since any form of independent abstract theory relating to the social world was directly linked to religion. It wasn"t until the religious wars, that an era we know now as the era of. Enlightenment , whose takeoff period surged in the 1700s when as collins said, religious wars had died done , that intellectuals starting viewing society in a distinctive manner. (13). Turner"s origin and context of auguste comte"s work , we get a glimpse at the life of turner and the work he"s done for sociology, which emerged from the efforts done post-revolutionary. He coined the term sociology in 1839 in order to distinguish the social from other social sciences.
