Principles of Scientific Sociology

1. Auflage 1983
ISBN: 978-0-202-30304-8
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 556 Seiten, Format (B × H): 160 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 839 g

Principles of Scientific Sociology represents a major attempt to redirect the course of contemporary sociological thought. It is clear, well-organized, innovative, and original in its discussion of the context and methods of sociology conceived as a natural science. Wallace delineates the subject matter of sociology, classifies its variables, presents a logic of inquiry, and advocates the use of this logic for the acceptance or rejection of hypotheses or theories and for the solving of human problems.

Social scientists, including political scientists, sociologists, anthropologists, historians, economists, social psychologists, and students of social phenomena among nonhumans, will find this work indispensable reading. Principles of Scientifc Sociology emphasizes the relationship between pure and applied sociological analysis. The essential contributions of each to the other are specified. Relationships between the substantive concepts of the sociology of humans, on the one hand, and the sociology of nonhumans, on the other, are systematized. In an attempt to put sociological analysis on a firm scientific basis, the book contains a concluding chapter focusing on central premises of natural science and their applicability to sociology.

Wallace identifies the simple elements and relationships that sociological analysis requires if it is to lead to an understanding of complex social phenomena. On this basis, he considers the substantive elements and relations that comprise structural functionalism, historical materialism, symbolic interactionism, and other approaches to social data. He develops groundwork for standardizing these elements so that the contexts of different analyses may become rigorously comparable. The result is a fine, one-volume synthesis of sociological theory.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Wallace, Walter

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Sozialphilosophie, Politische Philosophie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgments
1. General Introduction
Objectives
Method
Contents
Uses
PART I: SOCIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION
2. Introduction to Part I
A Generic Definition of Social Phenomena
Primary Distinctions Within Each Component of the Generic Definition
Social Structure, Cultural Structure, Spatial Regularity, and Temporal Regularity
Social Structure Plus Cultural Structure, and Spatial Regularity Plus Temporal Regularity
Social Structure, Cultural Structure, Spatial Regularity, and Temporal Regularity in Sociobiology
3. Social Structure
Individual Physical Behaviors
Within-Individual Aggregates of Physical Behaviors
Across-Individuals Aggregates of Physical Behaviors
Forms of Between-Individuals Physical Behavior Coincidence
Summary
4. Cultural Structure
Individual Psychical Behaviors
Within-Individual Aggregates of Psychical Behaviors
Across-Individuals Aggregates of Psychical Behaviors
Forms of Between-Individuals Psychical Behavior Coincidence
Summary
5. Spatial and Temporal Regularities
Dimensions of Spatial and Temporal Regularities
Social Change and Stability
Social Spacing
Types of Social Change and Social Spacing Combined
Summary
6. Hierarchic Structure in Social Phenomena
Four Variants of Hierarchic Structure
The Principle of Hierarchic Structure
Complex Social Phenomena
Summary
PART II: SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION AND PREDICTION
7. Introduction to Part II
The Target of Sociological Explanation
A Generic Typology of Sociological Explanatory Variables
Qualifying Comments on the Typology
Many-Variable Causal Models
8. Internal Variables
Materialism
Nurturism
Instinctivism
Enculturism
Summary
9. External People Variables-Body
Demographism
Social Structuralism
Summary
10. External People Variables-Mind
Psychical Contagionism
Cultural Structuralism
Summary
11. External Thing Variables
Ecologism
Technologism
Summary
12. Many-Variable Causal Models
Hierarchically Structured Causes or Effects
Relations Within the Same Level of a Causal Hierarchy
Durkheim's Combinations of Causal Models and the Variables They Contain
Summary
PART III: SciENTIFic PROCEDURE
13. Introduction to Part III
Subject Matter Procedures of Scientific Analysis
Imaginary and Actual Analyses, and Individual and Collective Analyses
Pure and Applied Phases of Scientific Analysis
Understanding of What? Control Over What?
Substantive Interrelationships
14. Pure Science
Observations
Empirical Generalizations
Explanations
Explanatory and Predictive Procedures
Tests
Summary
15. Applied Science
Plans
Decisions
Implementations
Outcomes and Evaluations
Summary
16 Premises of Scientific Procedure, and Objections to Employing that Procedure in Sociology
Object Premises
Subject Premises
Objections to Applying Scientific Procedure to Sociology
Summary
Concluding Remarks
References
Name Index
Subject Index

Über Autor(innen)

Walter Wallace