Sociology and its Characteristics

Sociology

Etymological meaning: Sociology is dereived from a latin word 'Socio' which means 'Society' and a greek word 'Logos' which means 'study'/'science'. So sociology is science of society.
 August Comte, Max Weber, Herbert Spencer and Emile Durkheim are four founding fathers of sociology.

"Sociology is the science of social phenomena subject to natural and invariable laws, the discovory of which is the object of investigation."
                                          by August Comte

"Sociology is the science of social institutions."
                                          by Emile Durkheim

Characteristics of Sociology

• Sociology is an independent science: sociology is a member of social science not a branch. As an independent social science sociology has developed its own research area and research method.
• Sociology is the social science and not a physical science: sociology talks social and cultural aspects of human beings and does research in social problem and social subjects not the objects
• Sociology is the pure science and not an applied science: sociology does not have any particular field as applied science. Main theme is to spread knowledge that helps to diagnose the problem academically.
• Sociology is a categorial and not a normative discipline: sociology does not make any judgement in terms of values, culture ect, it only shows the facts.
• Sociology is relatively an abstract science and not a concrete science: sociology talks more about feelings not shape and size.
• Sociology is the generalizing and not a indivisualizing science: sociology generalizes as a whole. From the larger mass data base it comes to the certain conclusion.
• Sociology is rational and empirical science: Sociology collect, organize and classify factual data and then derive sound social knowledge and theories from the facts.