Global Journal of Education, Humanities and Management Sciences (GOJEHMS);
Vol.2 No.1, July 2020, pg.64 - 70; ISSN(Print): 2705-2494; ISSN(Online):2705-2486
THE SCIENTIFIC STATUS OF SOCIOLOGY:
THE OBJECTIVITY ISSUE
BAMMEKE, MUYIDEEN BANJI
Department Of Humanities & Social Sciences
The Federal Polytechnic Offa
[email protected] +2348055871644
ABSTRACT
This paper is mainly an exploratory research effort in an attempt to scrutinize the origin,
evolution and the development of sociology.The discussion also covers the scientific
objectivity of sociology as a social science and further submits to picture its difference to
natural or pure sciences. However, document evidences and materials from periodicals
from texts, books, journals, magazines and websites were utilized.The study in addition
raises further questions for future research and as concrete suggestions are proffered
Keywords: sociology, concept, format, theories, society.
INTRODUCTION
Question is being raised on what exactly is Sociology? Sociology is a termed
which derived its meaning from the Latin word - “Socius” which means companion and
the Greek word – “Logos” i.e, - Science. Science in itself is derived from Latin word –
“Scire” which literarily means to know. It was in 1837 A.D. that a French man named
AUGUST COMTE combined all these word together to mean – Sociology. In trying to
give a simple meaning to sociology it would then mean the “science of the society”. Using
society to give meaning to sociology would rather limit the meaning of sociology. A social
scientist, we are part of the society, we live within the society and of course there is no
human endeavor that does not have one form or the other of social bearing
In considering the origin of sociology, it was a discipline that evolved and
emerged at a particular time as a response to a noticeable change and in response to societal
problems that are prevalent at that time.AUGUSTE COMTE (1798-1857) who is usually
credited with being the founder of the discipline and coined the word “sociology”, actually
intended to fill a vacuum, hence developing a discourse that would engage the methods
used in the natural sciences in studying human society. COMTE insistence is premised on
the fact that solutions have to be found to the problems that was bedeviling the French
society at the time in question. In the same vein, far back in the 14 th century, IBN
KHALDUN(1332-1406), an African and a Tunisian used the Arabic word –Al Umran–
which literally translated to mean Sociology: the scientific structure of the human society.
The question of whether we accept IBN KHALDUN or AUGUST COMTE as the father
of sociology and/or whether the discipline originated from speculative social philosophy
and empirical science, one fact is clearthat sociology is a product of a response and the
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Global Journal of Education, Humanities and Management Sciences (GOJEHMS);
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need to confront issues of social decay and to formulate relevant policies aimed at rescuing
society from decadence and bringing about positive change and general societal
development (Otite, 2008).
For an introduction, sociology could be defined as the scientific studies of the
society and it component unit. Ibrahim (2000) defined sociology as “a social science which
studies the relationship between people as individual and as a group also studies the
influences of social conditions on these relationships. And giving sociology a simple
meaning, Otite (1994) defines sociology “as the study of human interactions and
organization of social institution, which deals with social process and social relationship
particularly in their institutional contexts”.
Sociology itself can be defined in many different ways. Many sociologists have
lay credence giving different meaning to sociology. LESTER FRANK WARD AND
WILLIAM GRAHAM SUMMER defined sociology simply as “the science of the society”.
WHILE FRANKLIN HENRY GIDDINGS sees it as “the science of social phenomena”.
The subject matter has also being defined as “science of institution” (EMILE
DURKHEIM) while MAX WEBER sees as a science of “social action”. And A.W.
SMALL defined it as “the science of social process” andROBERT E. PARK gave it a
meaning of “the science of collective behaviours”.
Sociology is the science of society, social institutions, and social
relationship.Specifically, it is the scientific study of the development, structure,
interactions and collective behaviour of organised groups of human beings. Sociology can
also be defined as the scientific analysis of social institution as a functioning whole and as
it relates to the rest of society (Merriam-Webster, 2020)
It is pertinent to add that the subject matter being discussed is the society itself
rather than the “individual”. Although one cannot separate the individual from the study of
the society but more sociologist are convince that the study of the individual is essential to
the understanding of the society.
THE METHODS OF SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES
For a better understanding of what we seek to studies in sociology one need to
address briefly about the scope in sociological study. The scope of sociology has to do with
the limit, the extent and the range of observation of event or phenomena. What one studies
is the scope of sociological studies. WILMOT (1985) defines method as “an organized way
of achieving set objectives and must be adapted to fit these objectives”. This simply means
that the way of doing things that is the system, the pattern that one goes about doing it is
the method.
In social science parlance, the methods commonly uses are the same method
applicable in the Natural sciences as we have it in physics, chemistry, biology etc, the
same method is also being use in sociological studies. It is often stated that sociology
cannot be considered a science this is because it cannot experiment and thus cannot
predict.It is atruism that materials with which sociology deals with-human behavior and
relationships-experimentation in the laboratory is quite impossible. But within limit,
sociology can and does make use of techniques, which apply quantitative measurements to
social phenomena which can be comparable to method of experimentation. It is also
important to add that two other basic method of scientific investigation – observation and
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Global Journal of Education, Humanities and Management Sciences (GOJEHMS);
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comparison – is readily available to the study of sociology as the case in the physical
sciences.
Sciences are closely linked to experimentation, but not all science does
experiment. Astronomy one of the oldest sciences cannot experiment with its materials.
The essence of any experimentation is to be able to predict. Prediction is however a
possibility at least to an extent in Sociology. Sociologist matures and coming to fore of a
better understanding the “principles underlying human behaviour, it will be in a better
position to make accurate prediction” (KOENIG, 1957).
On a final note the content of sociological studies is the social interaction, social
to us means our relationship with each other i.e. interrelationship that exist between persons
and community at large. Interaction cannot be to mean what actually takes place between
and among individual and to a large extent the people i.e. the behavior of the people. In
short, social interaction takes place when human beings take each other mutual influence,
thus the analysis has to do with its origin, its nature and its consequence of which
sociological focal point is the investigation, description and analysis of this social
interaction.
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
Theorizing is mental activity, which make an attempt to formulate ideas, which
help scientist to explain the occurrence of an event or phenomenon. If theories are ideas
then, it is closely linked to a concept or principle or law, which is the foundation of
scientific studies. WILMOT (1985) defined theory as “a system or related ideas that enable
one to explain and predict phenomena”. Theories are assumption of a set of principles,
which give explanation to causation of events or phenomena and in the same pattern try to
seek and establish the relation of cause and effect with certain degree of certainty.
In the same vein, certain and several events or phenomena may occur together,
which need explanation. Explanation cannot take place until it is analyzed. Analysis in this
sense is the “technique for breaking down complexes of related phenomena into component
parts in order to study relations of part to part and part to whole”, (Igun, 1994).It thus mean
that analysis provide the basis for establishing the casual relationship of events and
phenomena. However, a theory can only be judge through its explanatory process and the
reliability of its prediction based on it richness; level of interest and accuracy. These are
attribute of explanations in the physical sciences. Hence, wherever there is a system of
living ideas, theories are bound to develop.
Judging by the standard of scientific theorizing, the sociological theories cannot
favourably compete with these scientific theories. In the sociological world today, no
theory has been acclaimed to employ a widely validity or acceptance. This is so because,
sociological theories are “devoted to mapping, describing and explaining social relations
as they actually are, as they have actually occur rather than as they ought to be” (Otite,
1994).
At present, it is an on-going debate that available perspectives may be used as a
guide for sociological theorizing; there are two main groups of thought. The first groups,
referred to as the POSITIVIST School, follows the ideas put forward by founding father of
sociology – AUGUST COMTE. The school view Sociology in the same way that physical
and natural sciences such as Physics, Biology and Chemistry would view their subject
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Global Journal of Education, Humanities and Management Sciences (GOJEHMS);
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matter. Their argument is premised on the fact that world of nature and social world can be
viewed and observed in such manner that generalized theories can be propounded.
On the other hand, the second group known as THE INTERPRETIVIST argued
that sociology should select its own particular way of seeing the world, which is adequate
in terms of particular nature of its subject matter. They further posit that, that way must be
different from the ways of the natural science basing their argument on the fact that world
of nature is distinctively different from social world and as such then, different approaches
to their studies. In holding on to their position, this school believed that an action in a social
action can only be observes based on the interpretation of the “meaning” of the action on
the minds of the actors, this cannot be the same form of observation in the natural world
for the fact that actions can be observed externally.
On a final note, these two extreme positions still persist today, which make
sociological theory to be of different shades, the most common compromised position
today is the POSITIVISTIC view of world, which gives or allows data that are not directly
externally observable as an input in a research process which thus give room for
explanation.
THE SCIENTIFIC NATURE OF SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES
The Man’s efforts to make use of scientific observation and the analysis of these
observable elements have resulted in the rise of social sciences. At the onset, a simple
social science dealt and interprets man’s activities on Economies Politics or the Social
phase. However, in due course, each of these various subject try as much to establish itself.
Sociology however was able to establish and concern itself with social aspect of man, but
in a large sense, Sociology concern itself with the entire workings of social science.
WHAT THEN IS SCIENTIFIC THEORY?
All scientific theories are characterized with four main element, these are:
concepts, variables, statements and formats (Igun, 1994).
CONCEPT
Concepts “are ideas or principles relating to a class of things”. (Bammeke 2004).
These concepts form the pieces from which theories are built. And going by WILMOT
(1985) definition of theories “as a system of ideas that are related to predict and explain
phenomena”. Concepts are then composed of statement, which are system of terms. For an
example; a language sentence, a logic symbol or even a notation in Mathematics. This
system of term indicates phenomena or an aspect of it. Social role is a concept in Sociology
and can define as “the set of expected behavior of an occupant of a social position” (Igun,
1994). This simple definition is expected to give a uniform meaning to all investigators
Sociology have also being able to develop other social concept such as social structure,
social institution bureaucracy, social group, social class, social statusetc, which are
variously used in other discipline; meaning that it has acquire a general acceptance – a
universal acknowledgement – a characteristic of science.
VARIABLES
Variables constitute a hypothesis in a scientific research. A hypothesis is a
statement that is trying to explain the relationship between two variables.Concepts
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Global Journal of Education, Humanities and Management Sciences (GOJEHMS);
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however, are partly found in a theory, like all scientific theory, sociological theories are
also characterized with hypothetical statement, which are the basis for theories. There are
two broad parts of concept in theories. The first of this kind is the LABEL phenomena, this
are mainly use to build theories, and in Sociology such concept are Social action, Social
group, Family, Social class etc. On the other hand, the second kind of concept are those
that seek to explain that phenomena differ; such are social solidarity, urbanization etc.
However scientific theory depend more on this kind of concept this because
scientific theories emphasizes degree of difference in variables. A social researcher, need
to refer to variable properties of the world so to give meaning and to understand event in
variations.
STATEMENT
Statements are the foundations that mainly constitute theories. Statement in
theories is basically the concept of that particular theory. Concepts are of two types. The
concept of the first type is label concept, which is merely pointing to the existence of a
phenomenon and the second types is variable concept that permits a researcher to see the
variation in the phenomenon. It is noteworthy to mention that concept is of little usage in
the goals of the science, if science is to go beyond the stage of mere description. Although,
science needs explanation and in order to justify their theories, scientist must be able to
relate phenomena or events to one another in a way of weaving concept together to form a
theoretical statement. For an example the concept of conflicts, social unit and solidarity are
theoretical statement. (Igun, 1994). Social conflicts in sociology refers to varying degree
of hostile interaction in social world, social units refer to different kind of collective
patterns into which individual may be organized solidarity refers to various degree of
internal unity in social groups. And in relating this to an African situation it could then
mean that the greater the degree of conflict among the ethnic groups which make up a
country, the greater the degree of solidarity and loyalty in each ethnic group.
The statement above simply asserts a relationship between variables, this could
be true or untrue, but it is a tested fact of an observation of the real world.
FORMAT
Here, format simply refers to the forms of theory. Although there are many
different of format in Sociology. It is very rare to find theoretical statement standing alone,
but a number of them have been woven together as a form or system of statement, which
is known as theory. The organization of statement into theory must be systemic in such a
way that statement follows one another logically.
CONCLUSION
Emphasis has been made on why sociology is a science. Sociological theories are
bound and have so far proven that theories exist in sociology and which can be generalizing
to have attained a universal acknowledgement. Although, it is pertinent to mention that
sociology cannot equate the validity and reliability as the case in Natural and Physical
sciences.
However, Sociology is concerned not only with the behaviours and interaction
within institutions and problem of relationship between institutions in society. (Otite,
1994). Added to this assumption that Sociology is the study of man’s behaviour in groups
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Global Journal of Education, Humanities and Management Sciences (GOJEHMS);
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or of interaction among human beings. (KOENIG, 1957). Sociology which seek to
understand the nature and the purpose of human association which include the manner that
these various kinds of association arise, develop and change and as well the belief system
and the practices that characterized them.
With the foregoing, the relevance of Sociology in a given society cannot be over
emphasized, which encompasses all spheres of human endeavours. Essentially, Sociology
is concerned and well relevant in the management of order and by implication, the problem
of disorder in the society. It also deals with consensus and conflict with the problem of
continuity and change in the structure and function of the societies.
Finally, we have able to demonstrate the scientific value of sociology in studying
social orders, social institutions, social group, social activity, social organization,
urbanization, family, bureaucracy etc, these various sociological concept are key concept
in the entire organization structure of any society.
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