15:45
#diss #humss #humsslesson #seniorhighschool Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences - Lesson 1
Greg Suñer
Overview
This video introduces the Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences, differentiating it from natural sciences and humanities. It traces the historical origins of these fields, highlighting key thinkers and the intellectual climates that fostered their growth. The lesson explains the distinct subject matter and methodologies of each branch of science, emphasizing the unique challenges and approaches within social sciences due to the complexity of human behavior and societal structures. It concludes by reinforcing the core definitions and distinctions between natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
How was this?
Save this permanently with flashcards, quizzes, and AI chat
Chapters
- Social sciences aim to understand and explain the world we live in using systematic inquiry.
- Defining science is challenging, as it's difficult to pinpoint features that universally separate it from non-scientific endeavors like astrology.
- The lesson will explore the nature of social sciences and how they differ from natural sciences and humanities.
Understanding the fundamental nature of social sciences is crucial for appreciating their role in studying human society and behavior.
The speaker contrasts scientific endeavors with non-scientific ones like religion and fortune-telling to illustrate the difficulty in defining science.
- Natural and social sciences are considered 'real sciences,' distinct from formal sciences like mathematics.
- Natural sciences systematically build knowledge with testable explanations and predictions about the universe, focusing on natural events.
- Social sciences study the various aspects of human society, including individual behavior, societal influences, and how societies function from micro-interactions to macro-level governance and economy.
- Social sciences encompass disciplines like anthropology, economics, geography, political science, and psychology.
Distinguishing between natural and social sciences clarifies their respective domains and the types of questions they seek to answer.
Natural sciences focus on natural events and variables, while social sciences focus on human behavior and societal structures.
- Humanities are concerned with human culture, critical inquiry, and understanding what makes us human.
- They explore heritage and human expression through various forms.
- The definition of social sciences can be broad and complex, unlike the more unified perspective often found in natural sciences.
Understanding the humanities helps learners appreciate the study of human culture and expression as a distinct but related field to social sciences.
Humanities studies include arts, fashion, dance, music, theater, philosophy, religion, language, literature, and linguistics.
- Natural sciences emerged from the Renaissance and Enlightenment, with early figures like Copernicus and Galileo questioning existing worldviews and using systematic investigation.
- Social sciences are younger, with scientific study beginning in the 19th century, influenced by thinkers like Auguste Comte and Émile Durkheim.
- Humanities have ancient roots, originating in 5th century BCE Greece with the development of drama and philosophy.
Knowing the historical context of these disciplines reveals how societal and intellectual shifts influenced their development and focus.
Auguste Comte's 'Positive Philosophy' is mentioned as setting a positivist tone for social sciences.
- Natural sciences aim to discover universal laws governing the world, focusing on the natural realm (e.g., chemistry, biology, physics).
- Social sciences study social interactions and coexistence, characterized by a common perspective of understanding the social aspect of society, groups, or individuals.
- Natural sciences heavily rely on mathematical methods and controlled experiments due to the uniformity and measurability of natural phenomena.
- Social sciences often use observation, interviews, surveys, and case studies because social environments are complex and less controllable for experimentation, though experiments are still employed in fields like behavioral economics.
The differences in subject matter and methodology explain why natural and social sciences employ distinct approaches to gain knowledge.
Controlled experiments are common in natural sciences like physics but difficult to implement in social sciences due to the uncontrollability of social environments.
- Recap of definitions: Social sciences study human society; natural sciences study the universe; humanities study human culture and expression.
- Reinforcement of distinctions in subject matter and methodology.
- A self-test is provided to check understanding of the core concepts.
Reviewing key concepts and testing one's understanding solidifies learning and identifies areas needing further attention.
The self-test questions ask learners to identify which branch of science deals with human society, human heritage, or natural phenomena.
Key takeaways
- Social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities are distinct fields of study with unique origins, subject matters, and methodologies.
- Natural sciences focus on the predictable, measurable aspects of the physical universe, often using controlled experiments and mathematical models.
- Social sciences investigate the complexities of human behavior, interactions, and societal structures, facing challenges in experimental control but employing methods like observation and surveys.
- Humanities delve into human culture, expression, and the fundamental questions of human existence, using critical and analytical approaches.
- The historical development of these disciplines is tied to shifts in worldview and societal needs.
- While distinct, these fields often inform each other, contributing to a more holistic understanding of the world and our place in it.
Key terms
Social SciencesNatural SciencesHumanitiesScientific MethodSystematic InquiryTestable ExplanationsSocietal BehaviorHuman CultureRenaissanceEnlightenment
Test your understanding
- What is the primary focus of social sciences compared to natural sciences?
- How do the methodologies of natural sciences and social sciences typically differ, and why?
- What core question do the humanities seek to answer?
- Explain the historical origins of social sciences and how they contrast with natural sciences.
- Why is it more challenging to conduct controlled experiments in social sciences than in natural sciences?