knowt logo

Lesson 2: Science and The Social Sciences

Social Sciences

  • Social sciences is a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society and with interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society.

  • These are disciplines of academic study that examine different aspects of society.

Society

  • Society is defined as “people living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values.

  • Society is also defined as the people who interact in such a way as to share a common culture.

  • Society is an organized group of individuals.

  • Society is always made up of persons and their groupings.

  • Society cannot exist apart from culture


Science

  • Science can be deemed as a branch of knowledge and a method of gathering new information

  • Science is defined as knowledge about or the study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation

  • Science refers to the various methods or modes of inquiry utilized in order to obtain that knowledge.

The Scientific Method

  • The scientific method is the principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge

  1. Topic - the researcher selects a particular subject matter depending on his or her interest and it could be purely accidental sometimes

  2. Problem - the researcher defines the nature of the problem where a theory can be developed along the way (without this, the topic cannot be continued)

  3. Hypothesis - the researcher formulates a general statement of the problem (intelligent guess)

  4. Methods of Inquiry/Data Gathering - this is the stage involving the use of instruments (statistics/reviews)

  5. Analysis - the researcher may find relationships that can help in the analysis of the gathered data (interpretation)

  6. Conclusion - the researcher formulates a conclusion after the analysis of data


  • The natural sciences are sometimes called “the hard sciences”

  • Social sciences are known as the “soft sciences” for their researchers are leaning on the qualitative side

  • One may find some overlapping of knowledge on the different disciplines of the two domains

    • Example: BS in Psychology (math and science), BA in Psychology (humanities and arts)

  • Present social ills can be effectively addressed by obtaining knowledge from both natural sciences and social sciences

  • The field of social science may help us understand the complexities of human behavior and relations as it attempts to solve the aforementioned societal problems.

Social Sciences

  • Social sciences is a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society and with interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society.

  • These are disciplines of academic study that examine different aspects of society.

Society

  • Society is defined as “people living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values.

  • Society is also defined as the people who interact in such a way as to share a common culture.

  • Society is an organized group of individuals.

  • Society is always made up of persons and their groupings.

  • Society cannot exist apart from culture


Science

  • Science can be deemed as a branch of knowledge and a method of gathering new information

  • Science is defined as knowledge about or the study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation

  • Science refers to the various methods or modes of inquiry utilized in order to obtain that knowledge.

The Scientific Method

  • The scientific method is the principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge

  1. Topic - the researcher selects a particular subject matter depending on his or her interest and it could be purely accidental sometimes

  2. Problem - the researcher defines the nature of the problem where a theory can be developed along the way (without this, the topic cannot be continued)

  3. Hypothesis - the researcher formulates a general statement of the problem (intelligent guess)

  4. Methods of Inquiry/Data Gathering - this is the stage involving the use of instruments (statistics/reviews)

  5. Analysis - the researcher may find relationships that can help in the analysis of the gathered data (interpretation)

  6. Conclusion - the researcher formulates a conclusion after the analysis of data


  • The natural sciences are sometimes called “the hard sciences”

  • Social sciences are known as the “soft sciences” for their researchers are leaning on the qualitative side

  • One may find some overlapping of knowledge on the different disciplines of the two domains

    • Example: BS in Psychology (math and science), BA in Psychology (humanities and arts)

  • Present social ills can be effectively addressed by obtaining knowledge from both natural sciences and social sciences

  • The field of social science may help us understand the complexities of human behavior and relations as it attempts to solve the aforementioned societal problems.