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Sociology a-level aqa

Hi, I'm currently studying beliefs in society and crime and deviance for aqa. However I'm struggling with the science debate for both topics and also theory and methods. Have you got any essays on these, it would really help. Thanks.
Hi

I used to teach Sociology although not AQA for the last few years.

Those 'is sociology a science?' 'What is a science?' issues are pretty abstract but try and think about them as a series of questions:

What is a science? How is science different from other belief systems like religion? Is it about objectivity, experimental methods and rigorous hypothesis testing?
Can sociology be seen as a science? The positivist arguemnt is that it can be but this is coutered by the interpretive view that people are not like rocks or animals so a different methodology to the natural sciences is needed (ie a qualitative ethnographic approach)
How scientific is natural science anyway? Have you come across the view of Thomas Kuhn? He argues that science is very influenced by the community of scientists and very rarely to scientists start with a completely open mind.

Every A2 textbook will have some stuff on this - why not have a look in your school or college library?
Reply 2
Original post by The Learn Ranger
Hi

I used to teach Sociology although not AQA for the last few years.

Those 'is sociology a science?' 'What is a science?' issues are pretty abstract but try and think about them as a series of questions:

What is a science? How is science different from other belief systems like religion? Is it about objectivity, experimental methods and rigorous hypothesis testing?
Can sociology be seen as a science? The positivist arguemnt is that it can be but this is coutered by the interpretive view that people are not like rocks or animals so a different methodology to the natural sciences is needed (ie a qualitative ethnographic approach)
How scientific is natural science anyway? Have you come across the view of Thomas Kuhn? He argues that science is very influenced by the community of scientists and very rarely to scientists start with a completely open mind.

Every A2 textbook will have some stuff on this - why not have a look in your school or college library?


Thanks for that! Much appreciated.

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