Social Sciences Introduction Lecture: The Origins of Social Science PDF

SSF 1013: Introduction to Social Sciences SEM 1 24/25 Lecturer : Dr Daniel Ugih Echoh  LU2: The Origins of Social Science  Learning Objectives At the end of the course, it is expected that students will...

SSF 1013: Introduction to Social Sciences SEM 1 24/25 Lecturer : Dr Daniel Ugih Echoh  LU2: The Origins of Social Science  Learning Objectives At the end of the course, it is expected that students will be able to: 1. Explain the concept of 3. Understand why the philosophy concept of philosophy. and the history of philosophers 4. Understand the 2. Be familiar with relevance of the key concepts of And the philosophy and the contributions of contributions the philosophy in social sciences Social science is BUT The roots of these associated with ideas are in ancient western philosophy… Greece  The Definition of Philosophy a way of thinking about certain subjects 01 such as ethics, thought, existence, time, meaning and value. an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths 02 about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other So, what is your philosophy???  Western’s Philosophy philosophical thinking in the Western or Occidental world Western Philosophy has strongly influenced and been influenced by Western religion, science, mathematics and politics. Western’s Philosophers  The Greek settlements 550 BC It is estimated that around this time period, there were nearly 700 different city states of Greek population.  Alexander the Great's Empire c320 BC See how the regions of Greek control expanded over time. Areas of population are highlighted in red/brown.  Alexander The Great 1) king of the ancient 3) Influence on Greek kingdom of History: Macedonia from 336 His campaigns B.C. to 323 B.C. influenced subsequent military strategies and the spread of Greek culture, leaving a lasting impact on both Western and Eastern civilizations. 2) From age 13 to 16 he was taught by Aristotle, who inspired him with an interest in philosophy, medicine, and scientific investigation.  The Greek Philosophers Philosophy – from the Greek word philosophia, meaning “love of wisdom” The philosophical debates of the ancient Greeks : How things change, but how some things also remain unchanging The role of the state (political science) The way minds interact with society (psychology) The way individuals interact with the market (economics) Two Greek thinkers in particular who lived in the 3rd and 4th century BC, are responsible for establishing a basis for knowledge as we know it and deal with it today.  1. Plato was one of the most famous, respected, and influential philosophers of all time. A type of love (Platonic) is named after him. 1. Theory of Forms: Plato proposed that beyond the physical world lies a realm of perfect, Plato abstract forms or ideas, which represent the true essence of things.  1. founded in the 380s BC 2. was the ultimate ancestor of the modern university (hence the English term academic); The Plato’s 3. an influential centre of research and learning, Academy it attracted many men of outstanding ability.  Plato identified education as one of the most important aspects of a healthy state. Plato the need to teach children from a young age to live virtuous lives and to seek wisdom Central problem for Plato was ‘how to live a good life:- what is justice in the State? what is a just individual? what would an ideal State be like? how should the citizens of a state be educated? what kinds of arts should be encouraged? what form should its government take? who should do the governing and for what rewards?  1. Aristotle became a student at Plato's Academy in Athens. Aristotle 2. Aristotle was also concerned with ‘how to live a good life’ 3. The good life… - we can only achieve the good life by living as citizens in a state - the well-being of the community as a whole must be placed over and above the well-being of the individual.  1. Emphasizes importance of observation Aristotle 2. Change is natural and necessary 3. Justice: the best people should get the highest rewards 4. There is no best form of government that applies universally; it depends on the circumstances  During the Middle Ages, starting from about 01 the 5th century, Greek ideas were largely forgotten in Western Europe. With the fall of Rome, very few people in the West were left who knew how to read Greek. The Islamic The Islamic Abbasid caliphs gathered the Golden Age 02 manuscripts and hired translators to increase their prestige. Islamic philosophers reinterpreted Greek 03 philosophies in the context of their religion.  The Islamic Golden Age started with the rise of 01 Islam and establishment of the first Islamic state in 622. The introduction of paper in the 10th century The Islamic enabled Islamic scholars to easily write Golden Age 02 manuscripts; Arab scholars also saved classic works of antiquity by translating them into various languages.  Scientists advanced the fields of algebra, calculus, 01 geometry, chemistry, biology, medicine, and astronomy. Many forms of art flourished during the The Islamic Islamic Golden Age, including ceramics, Golden Age 02 metalwork, textiles, illuminated manuscripts, woodwork, and calligraphy. ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHERS  The period between about 1543 to the end of 01 the 17th century was known as the RENAISSANCE and characterized by the rebirth and spread of ancient knowledge “Renaissance man” – an ideal type, reflected the belief that an The Renaissance 02 educated person could know everything a person who is well educated or who excels in a wide variety of subjects or fields the gifted men of the Renaissance sought to develop skills in all areas of knowledge, in physical development, in social accomplishments and in the arts.  1. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) 2. Michelangelo (March 6, 1475-1564) 3. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) The Renaissance 4. Leone Battista Alberti (1404-1472) Man 5. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)  Greatest painter the most diversely talented person ever to have lived Architect, engineer, geologist, cartographer, The Renaissance botanist Man He conceptualised a helicopter, a tank, calculator, solar power Relatively few of his designs were constructed or were even feasible during his lifetime  Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the High Renaissance. A number of his works in painting, sculpture, and architecture rank among the most famous in existence. Michelangelo  Italian Renaissance political philosopher and statesman secretary of the Florentine republic, whose most famous work, The Prince (Il Principe) Niccolo wrote a number of short political discourses Machiavelli and poems (the Decennali)  Italian Renaissance political philosopher and statesman secretary of the Florentine republic, whose most famous work, The Prince (Il Principe) Leone Battista wrote a number of short political discourses Alberti and poems (the Decennali) Albert’s Revolution in Painting  Italian natural philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician made fundamental contributions to the sciences of motion, astronomy, and strength of materials and to the development of the Galileo Galilei scientific method.  Began around 1650-1700 and continued for about 100 years an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries with global influences and effects. The People began to realize that to know Enlightenment everything – to be a Renaissance scholar – was impossible. Scholars began to specialize  Scholars rejected the idea that the civilization of the Greeks & Romans was perfect. They felt society had improved. The Ideas of the Before this time, people had not asked question about social problems or how they Enlightenment might be solved, believing they had limited power to change them. Period  During the enlightenment period people began to believe that society and culture are actually products of history and the evolution of culture – and that change was an ongoing process The Ideas of the With this came the realization that if society Enlightenment could change, then this change could be, (at least to some extent), guided and directed by Period human beings. Thank You