SOC 3730 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Helen Betty Osborne, Medicalization, Anomie

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3730
• Professor: Michelle Dumas

Document Summary

This suggests that law is autonomous, internally consistent system, and divorced from the more political processes of the state. Ensures law is predictable, consistent, and certain. State of war of all against all as individuals sought for their own interests. Government had to ensure orderly, organized society and main functions as to reserve rights and freedoms of individuals to pursue material interests with minimal interference from powers. Social order was maintained and upheld: liberalism (created by jean-jacques rousseau and john stuart mill) emphasizes rationality, which is the individual"s ability to think abstractly and objectively. The rational, intellectual, objective, and abstract decision is preferred and superior style of decision making. Individuals free to pursue own happiness as long as they don"t infringe on similar. Individuals are separate, autonomous beings who must be held accountable for their behaviours. Anomie (normlessness), which is not bad because its tendency is towards stability and equilibrium.