Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: January 10, 2002
Latest Update: January 14, 2002
Faculty:
jeannecurran@habermas.org
Olivier at tapcourse@yahoo.com
takata@uwp.edu

Reflexive Thought on Sociology Itself

On Monday, January 14, 2002, TR Young posted to PSN:

"A colleague from Vietnam has asked about the source of a phrase in the definition of 'sociology' from the Red Feather Dictionary of Critical Social Science; in particular the reference to Marx' views on sociology.

The passage goes: '...Marx called it a 'bourgeois pseudo-science.'

I simply don't recall where I got it...I put the dictionary together over a period of some 30 years and lost records as I moved, time and time again.

If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

And do send a copy of your reply to our colleague, Ho Hai Thuy (retired sociologist) from Hanoi, Vietnam at hhthuy@hn.vnn.vn

Thanks, TR"

The Definition

Sociology: Latin: socius = friend, comrade + Greek, ology = study of. A term created by Comte to refer to the science which studies relationships between people [not people per se]. Sociologists investigate how people become social actors and how forms of social reality are constructed. The usefulness of sociology is not yet settled. Some who practice it view it to be a liberating, exciting venture appropriate to all persons who purport to be educated. Some see it as does E.E. Cummings more as "the naughty thumb of science prodding the beauty of sweet spontaneous life." Marx called it a 'bourgeois pseudo-science.' As a matter of fact sociology is scarcely two hundred years old; one should wait a few more centuries before such vast claims for or against it are made with so much certainty. The rule is that any science gets its meaning from the larger society in which it is found. Sociology can be used as a technology of oppression as easily as a critical, emancipatory science.

The Dictionary is at: http://www.tryoung.com/Dictionary/shortdict.html

It is meant as a resource for your students. enjoy. TR

On Monday, January 14, 2002, jeanne commented:

Note the sharing and the love of learning. This is one of the ways in which we go about peacemaking.

love and peace, jeanne