Introduction to Social Sciences PDF

Summary

This document provides an introduction to social sciences. It covers topics such as natural science, cultural aspects, and various objects of study within social science. The material explores levels of being and the concept of society. It touches on human traits, personhood, and technology.

Full Transcript

Introduction to Social Sciences WHAT IS REALITY REALITY It is the world or the sum or aggregate existence. Perception or understanding of reality by either rational or empirical means is called Knowledge or Science (Latin, scientia: knowledge). REALITY Natural Cultura...

Introduction to Social Sciences WHAT IS REALITY REALITY It is the world or the sum or aggregate existence. Perception or understanding of reality by either rational or empirical means is called Knowledge or Science (Latin, scientia: knowledge). REALITY Natural Cultural Natural Natural Science is the branch of knowledge concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation (e.g., biology, physics, chemistry, and geology). Cultural Social science is the branch of knowledge that studies people's culture across time: as individuals, communities and societies; their behaviours and interactions with each other and with their built, technological and natural environments. Objects of Study of Social Sciences Social science seeks to understand the evolving human systems across our increasingly complex world and how our planet can be more sustainably managed. Dysfunction Malfuntion Morality Dysfunctional Behaviors – abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group, like crimes and wars. Malfunctional Phenomena – events that cause abnormalities or failures in the operation or participation of members in the group, like unemployment and pollution. Moral Behaviors (Ethics) – set of standards or principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. Branches of Social Sciences History – study and interpretation of Anthropology – holistic study of the chronological past events. humans, his physical and cultural developments throughout time. Political Science – study of the theory and practice of power Economics – study of production, relations among people. distribution, and consumption of the limeted resourses or wealth. Psychology – study of human behaviour and mental processes. Geography – study of the relationships between people and their environments. Sociology – study of society, and their individual relationship therein The Human Person and His Society WHAT IS A HUMAN WHAT IS A PERSON HUMANITY Humanity is a general term that doesn’t specify whether you’re talking about males, females, adults, or children; it simply means our species — Homo sapiens sapiens — at large. The term humanity can be applied to modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) as well as some of our most recent ancestors, the Homo sapiens. HUMAN TRAITS Wide range of body size Heterodont (varied teeth) Large eyes with 3D vision Presence of nails than claws Lack of snout, focused on seeing than smelling Bipedal means of ambulation Large brain (encephalization) PERSONHOOD In one of the Theological Tractates, the Roman senator and philosopher from the Middle Ages, Boetius (c. 480 – 524 AD) wrote: A person (tao) is "the individual substance with a rational nature" Rationality is the quality of being guided by or based on reasons. A person is rational because he thinks before he acts, and thinks before he believes. Four Levels of Being According to the Origination of Movement According to Felipe M. de Leon MINERAL -- Physical Cause/Force PLANT -- Stimulus ANIMAL -- Motives, Drives, Instincts HUMAN -- Rationality and Will MAN'S ORIGINATION OF ACTION He acts with rationality, that is to think before moving. He is acting based on will, that is the power to move act even when there is no physical compulsion, no survival need, no physical stimulus, and no motivating force at the present. A person does not move merely to satisfy needs like security, sensation and power, rather by love, wisdom and creativity. Only a person can make a rational choice (will) in what way he would satisfy his needs, e.g., sexual needs: To do it or not How to do it When to do it With whom to do it Where to do it How often However The power of rationality and consciousness is not operative in most people. People who act not based on rationality and consciousness, rather on mere instincts are allowing their animality to take over their being. 2020 Tarlac shooting featuring police officer, Jonel Nuezca, fatally shot two of his neighbors, Sonia and Frank Gregorio Madaling maging tao, ngunit mahirap magpakatao. PERSON IS UNIQUE He has a rational mind that allows him to have volition, values, social norms, and rituals. He has a conscious mind that allows him to be conscious of being conscious He has advanced culture -- advanced tools, language, and social structures. Animal Tools Animals use variety of simple tools for acquiring food and water, grooming, defence, communication, recreation or construction. Tool is an instrument for making material changes on other objects or for acquiring a purpose. Animal tools are simple and undeveloping. Animals do not innovate natural objects like twigs, leaves, stone tools, shells, and clams. Animal tools only serve a particular purpose and are incapable of altering large environments. Monkeys like chimpanzees Galapagos woodpecker, and Monkeys like orangutans use are using stone tools for other birds are using twigs or large leaves as umbrellas cracking nuts, shellfishes cactus spines to pry out during rainy days, and and other covered food. insects living in small holes. generally as protection tool. Human Technologies Humans have developed technologies to make their lives easier and allow them to engage in multiple activities efficiently at same time. Technology is an instrument that is a product of creativity or innovation to reach practical goals. Human tools/technologies are developing, from tools (primitive to antique), machines (simple machines to computers), to automation (robotics and artificial intelligence). Human technologies is capable of transforming or altering the natural environment to meet the needs of humans. This is process is called anthropization. Paleolithic and neolithic societies produced During the rise of civilization, ancient fine stone tools redesigned as arrowheads, societies produced simple machines to build spearheads, hand adzes/ axes, and querns. their first cities and colossal structures. Spinning Jenny Telephone Steam Engine Cotton gin During the rise of Industrial Revolution, During the Digital Revolution, communities industrialized societies produced industrial produced digital and smart technologies machines to hasten the production process. which are operated by artificial intelligence. Animal Language Language is any means of communication. It can be verbal (spoken or written), or nonverbal (gestures, signals or graphics). Nonhuman language is symbolically simple. A sound or gesture can only mean one thing. Nonhuman language is phonemically and morphemically simple. It is formed of two or fewer sounds. Human Language Displacement – using Productivity – using of single Duality – using of of language to talk linguistic expression to mean language through something outside of many things. phonemes (sound) the present. and morphemes (combination of Cultural transmission – using sounds). Discreteness – using of language to pass down of language to create beliefs and knowledge. multiple meanings Reflexivity – using from altering discreet language to think sounds (phonemes, Arbitrariness – using of and talk about intonation, stress) language with agreed meaning. language itself. Defining Society Society is a group of single species interacting and cooperating with one another to achieve objectives collectively that they could not achieve as individuals. Not all groups are societies, like a group of moths around a light – they are aggregations. Not all interactions/relationships are called societies, like predation, commensalism, parasitism, competition, mutualism – they are called symbiosis. Animal Society Animals have societies because: Animals form relationships and cooperate to reproduce sexually Animals form relationships and cooperate to rear their progenies Animals form relationships and cooperate to gather food, and to provide shelter and defence. Sociality in Society Sociality is the degree to which individuals in an animal population tend to associate in social groups and form cooperative societies. Social Animals – animals that have high degree of sociality like humans, and hymenoptera insects. Solitary Animals – animals that have low sociality. They do not live with others in its species, and interaction is limited to copulation. Degrees of Sociality Presociality – sociality is limited to reproduction, child rearing, and cohabitation, but lacks cooperation outside the family. Eusociality – complex sociality that include overlapping adult generations, cooperative care of young, and division of reproductive labor. Types of Sociality (Complexity) Gregariousness – Hierarchy – forming Biological Differentiation – closeness to those a system in which forming a system in which who are similar to the members are put at members are divided in species in certain various levels or labor or importance respects, but they ranks according to according to their sexes, prefer to be distant their importance: races and other biological from those who are abilities, ferocity, or attributes. different. possessions. Functional Specialization – forming a system Altruism – behavior and moral in which members are divided in labor by practice of concern for the welfare their special talents and skills, allowing to and/or happiness of other beings in provide more things aside from needs. or outside of its own species. Types of Sociality (Scope) Monosocial – species whose sociality is limited only to own group in a definite spatial location. Multisocial – species whose sociality is extended to other or multiple groups in multiple locations.

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