24 Questions
What was the primary pursuit of the Enlightenment, according to the text?
Modernity
What two basic conditions were necessary for the emergence of social science, according to the text?
Naturalism and control of value-judgments
What was the key ingredient in the emergence of social science, as implied by the scientific method?
The separation of fact and value
What philosophical consequences arose from the emphasis of the philosophes on rationalism, empiricism, and humanitarianism?
Two unresolved philosophical consequences
Who were the key figures involved in the birth of sociology, according to the text?
Saint-Simon and Comte
What was the significance of the Enlightenment in the emergence of social science?
It marked the birth of social science
What was the contradiction in the Enlightenment's pursuit of social science?
Difficulty in establishing a scientific basis for societal and cultural values
What was the relationship between the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, according to the text?
The Enlightenment influenced the French Revolution
What is the fundamental difference between methodological individualism and methodological collectivism?
Methodological individualism holds that society is no more than an aggregate of individuals, whereas methodological collectivism views society as a super-individual entity with a life of its own.
How do philosophes' social theories differ from Comte's view of society?
Philosophes generally lacked an explicit conception of society as an entity, whereas Comte believed society to be a system with its own laws, independent of its members.
What are the two methodological options that have influenced the history of sociology?
Methodological individualism and methodological collectivism/organicism.
What is the core assumption of methodological individualism?
That there are no 'laws of society' independent of the individual, and that society is no more than an aggregate of individuals.
How does methodological collectivism/organic conceptualize society?
As a super-individual entity with a life of its own, governed by its own laws and principles.
What is the significance of the Enlightenment for the birth of social science?
It laid the groundwork for the development of modern sociological thought, including the emergence of competing methodological approaches.
What is the central tenet of Enlightenment thinking that contributed to the outbreak and unfolding of the French Revolution?
Universality of human nature, inalienable rights, freedom of thought, speech, and economic activity, and a greater degree of social, political, and economic equality.
What is the name of the philosophical approach developed by Auguste Comte that aimed to create a naturalistic science of society?
Positivism or positive sociology
What is the three-stage theory of human progress proposed by Auguste Comte?
Theological stage, metaphysical stage, and positive stage
What is the term used to describe the approach of Auguste Comte that viewed societies as giant biological organisms?
Biological sociology
What is the concept that emphasizes the importance of social functions, such as religion and language, in cementing society?
Functionalism
What is the name of the French philosopher who criticized the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, and argued for a more nuanced understanding of modern democracy?
Alexis de Tocqueville
What is the term used to describe the modern conception of society as an entity reducible entirely to human agency?
Secularism
What is the concept that describes the development of the modern social sciences as a response to the crisis of modern European societies?
The Enlightenment as a radical force
What is the term used to describe the approach of Saint-Simon and Auguste Comte that aimed to create a new science of man and society?
Social science
What is the concept that describes the role of the Enlightenment in shaping the development of modern sociology?
The Enlightenment as an early sociological paradigm
Study Notes
The Enlightenment and the Birth of Social Science
Science as a Project of Social Engineering
- Attempt to transform/reform institutions using the scientific method
- Cultural relativism: contradictions and inconsistencies in the relationship between Europe and the rest
- Cross-cultural comparison as a central methodological tenet of social science
The Enlightenment and the French Revolution
- Enlightenment as a radical force in undermining the legitimacy of the ancient regime and Christianity
- Central tenets of Enlightenment thinking contributed to the outbreak and unfolding of the French Revolution
- Universality of human nature (secular)
- Inalienable rights
- Freedom of thought, speech, and economic activity
- Greater social, political, and economic equality
- Emancipation and attacks on the Church
The Birth of Sociology
- Saint-Simon (1760-1825)
- Believed modern society was threatened by anarchy and revolution
- Advocated for a new science of man and society (social science) to counteract conflict and disorder
- Proposed a "religion of Newton" with scientists as new religious leaders
- Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
- Developed positivism/positive sociology, aiming to create a naturalistic science of society
- Theory/philosophy of history: the Law of Human Progress, based on the development of the human mind
- Society progressed through three stages: theological, metaphysical, and positive
- Biology and sociology: societies as giant biological organisms
- Sociology studied patterns of evolution, analyzing static and dynamic aspects of social organization
Other Key Figures
- Emile Durkheim: inheritor of Comte's ideas and approach, emphasizing functionalism and the study of religion and language
- Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859): problematized the Enlightenment and French Revolution, focusing on modern democracy and sociology
Key Conclusive Points
- The Enlightenment formed the first stage in forging a modern conception of society as an entity reducible to human agency (secularism + natural science)
- It was the first stage in the development of modern social sciences
- The Enlightenment functioned as an early sociological paradigm – a cluster of influential interconnected ideas about the social world and human relationships
- The philosophes' objective was not merely to understand, but especially to change society
This quiz explores the connection between the Enlightenment and the emergence of social science, including the role of science in social engineering and the impact of the Enlightenment on the French Revolution.
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