SOCI 1100 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Social Inequality, Social Stratification, Social Conflict
24 Jan 2017
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How do sociologists study society: understand how rational proof and empirical proof are used to evaluate beliefs. Rational proof stems off of the socratic method of investigation which is a continuous set of questions posed to someone. It is proof governed by the rules of logic. It is testing ideas through continuous questioning and thoughtful examination. Auguste comte argued that sociology should rely on more than rational proof but also empirical proof. Know what the difficulties are in studying understanding society and the human being. Science is an approach to understanding objects and events in nature that uses empirical proof as evidence. It relies primarily on careful measurement based on our senses, primarily by observation. It is similar to mathematics and philosophy because it tries to measure truth or falsehood through a neutral measuring stick rather than by what people have been taught by culture, others, or personal experience. It assumes the existence of natural law and natural cause.
