Is Sociology a Science?

Is sociology a science?

No	15.3%	[ 15 ]
Yes	60.2%	[ 59 ]
Gold	24.5%	[ 24 ]
Total Votes:			[ 98 ]

[Lucky~9~Lives]

Rukasu

I was wondering if any of you had an opinion on where Social/Cultural Anthropology fits in here. If Sociology is a science, is Cultural Anthropology a science as well? Since they're so similar, should they just be considered as a package?

Thanks in advance.

Anthropology is a branch of sociology...or 'third-world sociology', as I recently read.
- xp

I'm not considering sociology to be science at the moment, due to it lacking (the possibility of) repeatable controlled tests (the parts that involve such tests can just as well be classed as psychology)...cultural anthropology may have more luck there.

[mrs_chester_bennington]

Shaow Author

Yes, it is a science. The suffix "-ology" immediatly places sociology in a broad scientific category.

Um actually it places it under logic, not science. Although sociology does happen to be a science, and science is based on logic, 'ology' =/= science necessarily.

[I got bored one day]

Lucky~9~Lives

Is astrology a science?
- confused

Yes.

Oh, and for your question, everything generally connects, but that doesn't mean it can't be independently studied either. Sociology and Psychology are roommates but not the same thing. They overlap a lot though.

[I got bored one day]

mrs_chester_bennington

Shaow Author

Yes, it is a science. The suffix "-ology" immediatly places sociology in a broad scientific category.

Um actually it places it under logic, not science. Although sociology does happen to be a science, and science is based on logic, 'ology' =/= science necessarily.

As a means of proof can you give an example of a term that is not a science ending in -ology?

[mrs_chester_bennington]

Cutie-pie Sleepyhead

mrs_chester_bennington

Shaow Author

Yes, it is a science. The suffix "-ology" immediatly places sociology in a broad scientific category.

Um actually it places it under logic, not science. Although sociology does happen to be a science, and science is based on logic, 'ology' =/= science necessarily.

As a means of proof can you give an example of a term that is not a science ending in -ology?

Hmm maybe you're right. There's things like musicology, epistemology, chronology; whether or not they are sciences is debatable. They are all 'the study of' things but I don't know that their study is usually scientific. Guess it depends on how broad one would consider the word 'scientific' to be.

[Bismuthe]

I think perhaps it may be a term-giver/historical account on the long term, but there is a definite science presence in its research and immediate applicability,

[I got bored one day]

mrs_chester_bennington

Cutie-pie Sleepyhead

mrs_chester_bennington

Shaow Author

Yes, it is a science. The suffix "-ology" immediatly places sociology in a broad scientific category.

Um actually it places it under logic, not science. Although sociology does happen to be a science, and science is based on logic, 'ology' =/= science necessarily.

As a means of proof can you give an example of a term that is not a science ending in -ology?

Hmm maybe you're right. There's things like musicology, epistemology, chronology; whether or not they are sciences is debatable. They are all 'the study of' things but I don't know that their study is usually scientific. Guess it depends on how broad one would consider the word 'scientific' to be.

What you mean is you aren't sure their studies are empirical. They are scientific. For instance, theology is a science, but it is not an empirical science by any stretch or measure. There's no "hidden meaning" or "consideration" to take into account; this is literally how it is black and white.

[Lucky~9~Lives]

I got bored one day

What you mean is you aren't sure their studies are empirical. They are scientific.

Science is empirical by definition:

"To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning."
- 'Scientific method', Wikipedia

At the very least, by the definition I mean in creating this topic.

[Anouska]

Sociology uses different methodologies to acquire information and knowledge. Science is a methodology and scientific method is used in certain aspects of sociologically research. But is that enough for sociology to qualify as a science? Especially if the variables and results are subjective and imprecise.

[Siphilis]

I got bored one day

mrs_chester_bennington

Shaow Author

Yes, it is a science. The suffix "-ology" immediatly places sociology in a broad scientific category.

Um actually it places it under logic, not science. Although sociology does happen to be a science, and science is based on logic, 'ology' =/= science necessarily.

As a means of proof can you give an example of a term that is not a science ending in -ology?

Scientology.