Development of Sociological Theory, Research Paper Example

Sociologic theory really emerged out of the 19th Century Europe and there was a period of enlightenment that came after the French Revolution. The term of Sociology was first used by Emmanuel Joseph Soyers (1748-1836)  and later re-adopted by the French philosopher Augusta Comte (1798-1857). It was the break down in the authority of the Catholic Church after the French revolution that resulted in Comte producing his work ‘ religion of humanity’ in his fear of social malaise.

The early method approach to Sociology in the 19th Century was to treat sociological theory in roughly the same sense as natural science.. This being to distinguish sociology from that of Philosophy and Psychology. This new perspective was termed positivism. Emile Durkheim  being an early proponent of this type of sociological research. Hegel and Marx were not in favour of positivism and rejected this in favour of an approach more akin to that of critical thinking. Marx nevertheless went on to produce his work based upon a ‘sense of society’.

Ritzer stated that it was difficult to place an exact time period when sociological theory began. Ritzer is best known for his more modern and post modernist sociological theories. He has been criticised by the left Marxist supporters for his failure to embrace many of the marxist theories relative to alienation and the culture of industry. It was perhaps the French who were amongst the first and most important influencers of early sociological thinking.  ” Condorcet was important as one of the earliest people to outline a series of stages through which human society had developed, something which Marx also did later on. Saint-Simon was important because he was one of the first people to realize the importance of industrial society — when he wrote the industrial revolution had not gone very far. He also thought that the scientists would be the rulers of the future, instead of the aristocrats. He believed that society would develop through the policies adopted by leaders, not because of the laws of the market”  (Anon).

The emergence of sociology in the 19th Century was largely due to addressing the needs of modernity. It was a time of technological and innovatory change, with people being exposed to different cultures other than their own. This was considered in many senses as a departure from the conventional and the need for a new understanding of global social studies. One of the first books to be published using the term ‘Sociology’ was by Herbert Spencer in the USA.  The first fully fledged University Department in Sociology was established at the University of Chicago in 1892.

It was the point of Social Science using a scientific method of empiricalism ( observation) that helped to differentiate it from the other sciences of the time.. Much of the early credit in gaining that recognition went to August Comte.

The social sciences may best describe the application of scientific methods to the study of the human aspects of the world.  Other sciences such as Psychology studies are more concerned with studies of the human mind and behavioural conditions.  Sociology examines human society; political science studies the governing of groups and countries; communication studies the flow of discourse via various media.  Those in the  social sciences stress the use of  the scientific method or other rigorous standards of evidence in the study of humanity.

Works Cited

Anon. The Rise of Sociology. 2010. 1 5 2010 <http://www.apu.ac.jp/~jse/lec1.htm>.