Introduction to Social Sciences

Defining Social Science as the Study of Society

• Social sciences provide insights into personal and social experiences, relevant across class, age, gender, and social status.
• Key to understanding contemporary events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Different disciplines within social sciences provide tools for deeper societal understanding.

Development of Social Sciences

• Originated in Ancient Greece where philosophy was distinct from scientific inquiry.
• Middle Ages limited exploration of social events and their impacts.
• The Scientific Revolution marked a new beginning for social sciences.
• Age of Enlightenment fostered the introduction of varied ideas and theories in social sciences.
• Industrialization and capitalism in the 19th century spurred examinations of societal structures.
• Social sciences established as an academic field in the 20th century.
• 21st century sees new fields of study and a convergence of social science disciplines.

Distinction Between Knowledge Branches

• Society: Defined as a group of people sharing a territory and language.
• Science: Represents organized and logical bodies of knowledge.
• Ancient philosophy lacked distinction between scientific and humanities disciplines.
• Enlightenment altered perceptions of what constituted scientific thought.
• Social sciences emerged from moral philosophy, influenced by major historical revolutions.

Classification of Human Knowledge

• Three primary branches: Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science.

Social Science

• Focused on social phenomena and their relation to human groups and environments.
• Disciplines within social science include:
  • Anthropology
  • Economics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • History
  • Linguistics
  • Geography
  • Demography

Natural Science

• Aims to understand nature through measurable experiments.
• Disciplines within natural science include:
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Earth Science

Humanities

• Seeks wisdom by comprehending social realities through cultural, historical, and individual contexts.
• Covers memory and imagination, with a significant focus on history.
• Sources of knowledge include written texts and human behavior.
• Disciplines within humanities include:
  • Music
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Creative Writing

The Interrelation of Branches

• Social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences collaborate to create a holistic understanding of human experiences and societal dynamics.