► What is a theorist?

► Observes

►Seeks order

Organized, verifiable ideas to explain society & social behavior

Creates order

Makes sense of world & our place in world

Need

Impose order

Prediction & control

Same experiences theorized in different ways

Example: The Universe

Earth in the universe-size https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?

p=earth+in+the+universe&vid=4681e4e55811069ee8be9edda52b7bee&l=2%3A34&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608036179782141058%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtinNsrOqQdc&tit=See+How+Big+Our+Earth+In+Universe.&c=6&sigr=11b2eg1me&sigt=112lfck90&sigi=11rai0td5&ct=p&age[0]=1363661507&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&hsimp=yhs

560

Historical Context French Revolution (1789) to WWI 1919

Dramatic Changes▪Economic▪Social▪Political▪ Intellectual

Feudalism

Industrialization

Capitalism

Socialism

Urbanization

Religion

Revolutions

Democracy

Feminism

Abolition

The EnlightenmentReasonPerfectibility

ScienceBiologyPsychology

ChangeHow people made sense of world

Change after decades of little change

Cause of change

God’s will

Linear (progress)

Cyclical

Dialectic

Sovereign will of God God's ultimate plan and purpose for

mankind

Moral will of God His desire for the way that mankind

lives, acts, and thinks

Linear Change

Thrive

Decline

Rise

Cyclical Change

Absolute monarchy/divine rightChurch-centered

Original sin Religious warfare

Church and state linked

Most Europeans’ daily lives survival

Importance of the Individual Turned away from Church & aristocracy

Looked to themselves

Scientific method to understand social and political relationships Religious toleration Freedom of press and speech

Happiness – Not in hereafter but in this world

Progress – Humankind could improve

Reason – Truth discovered (not given)

1500-1700: European scientists used reason to discover laws of nature

Astronomy▪Galileo discovered Moon’s craters (1609)

and Milky Way Galaxy Biology

▪Robert Hooke-> Discovered cell (1665)

Chemistry▪ Edward Jenner-> Vaccine for smallpox (1796)

Early 1700s: People used reason to find laws of physical world.

Why not use reason to discover laws that govern human nature—social world?▪ Ex: Solutions to societal problems

Solve social, political, and economic problems Reason

Governments create->orderly society

All men created “free and equal”

Free market regulate trade

John Locke

Thomas Hobbes

1588-1679 1632-1704

Thomas Hobbes John Locke

•Humans are naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish.

•To escape “brutish” life people enter into a social contract.

•Only powerful government could ensure orderly society.

•Only absolute monarchy keep society completely orderly.

•Humans are naturally reasonable, moral and good

•Humans have natural rights: life, liberty, and property

•People form governments to protect natural rights

•Government-limited power•If government violates people’s natural rights, people have right to overthrow government

Ways of knowing▪Ideology▪Reason▪Science

Justifies existing social conditions (Value-laden)

Examples: “Divine right of kings” Colonialism Racism Sexism

Knowledge through rational processes

Universe operates based on “laws”

Humans have:▪Free will▪Intelligence▪Control destiny & environment

Scientific methodsGuidelines for:▪Gathering ▪ Interpreting information

(Value free)

(1805-1859)(1805-1859)

Born in Paris July 29, 1805

Father: Royalist who supported Bourbon Monarchy

Age 16 -> college to study philosophy

Finished College at age 18

25-year-old French apprentice magistrate Aristocratic background

1831-32: Assigned to examine prisons in America 9 month tour of U.S. Traveled widely--17 of America’s 24

states Published a report on prisons—2 main

kinds of prisons

Auburn plan: Prisoners worked together for 11

hours a day Not allowed to speak or look at one

another

Philadelphia system: Perpetual solitary confinement Only a chaplain who visited

occasionally

Many topics: Government Commerce Law Literature Religion Newspapers Customs

Tocqueville: America unique

America never had: Monarchy Feudalism Established church Or other privileged classes

Absence of these conditions, and an abundance of land made American democracy possible

One great agrarian middle class

Also extremes of wealth and poverty Extremes were relatively rare (in

Tocqueville’s time)

“What is most important for democracy is not that great fortunes should not exist, but that great fortunes should not remain in the same hands.

In that way there are rich men, but they do not form a class.”

--Alexis de Tocqueville

Tocqueville--American Revolution:

Produced high degree of social equality

Gave power to middle and lower classes

Aristocracy—Positions ascribed and fixed

Democracy—Social MobilityAccording to abilities and efforts

Tocqueville—Inevitable advance of democracy and equality Part of modernization

Democracy—Extend political franchise from few aristocrats to “the people”.

People becoming more equal in wealth, education, and culture

In short, democracy leads to equality.

Tocqueville--One of first casualties of equality was decline of primogeniture

Primogeniture: Common law that eldest son inherits entire estate

Equality spread to relations between fathers and sons and among brothers

Previously, family held together by bonds of property and inheritance.

Eldest male takes care of elderly to inherit the estate Property bond declined Replaced by bonds of personal

loyalty and affection

Pervasive nature of commodification in American life

Equality leads to ceaseless striving for social position

“As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: “How much money will it bring in?”

French social philosopher

American Revolution Supported colonists

French Revolution Fortune in land speculation

Increasing industrialization

The Enlightenment

Promoted study of natureNature & society governed by

laws

Reorganize society Wise men Scientific division of labor Spontaneous social harmony

State’s 3 responsibilities

1.Public works

2.Free education

3.Uplifting recreation

“Industrial army” Construction of roads, bridges, canals, planting forests

Organism as metaphor for society

Science-> replace religion

After Saint-Simon’s death Small group of follower’s called

for: Abolition of inheritance rights Public control of means of

production Gradual emancipation of women

Became a moral-religious cult Sociologists as high priests*