Foundations of Sociology
Sociology examines human behavior through scientific methods, focusing on society and collective life at various levels of analysis. A society consists of people in a defined area who interact and share a common culture.
The origins of sociology in the 1800s coincided with major economic shifts between three modes of production: agrarian rural,agricultural−based, industrial (wage labor, urban factories), and post-industrial serviceeconomy,ideas−based. These transitions disrupted traditional social structures and family life.
August Comte, often credited as sociology's founder, called for "social physics" – applying scientific cause-and-effect reasoning to social problems. His positivism approach promoted the scientific study of social patterns through works like "The Course in Positive Philosophy" (1830-1842).
Did you know? Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) was one of sociology's pioneering figures, analyzing American society with special attention to women's rights and education. She even made Adam Smith's complex economic theories accessible to ordinary people!