Sociology

VI. Read the text and name the stages that govern human development according to Comte.

D) Transform the sentences using the Complex Subject.

C) Make up sentences using different forms of the infinitive after the Complex Subject.

B) Find the Complex Subject and translate the sentence.

IV. a) Translate the sentence and define the underlined grammar phenomenon.

III. Form the plural of the following nouns.

Curriculum, datum, medium, memorandum, erratum, phenomenon.

Auguste Comte is known to be a French positivist philosopher, who was a founder of sociology.

1. Train services are said to be very good, especially on express inter-city lines. 2. All flights are supposed to be cancelled. 3. Lots of tourists are supposed to visit Petra every year. 4. He is likely to go to Venice next year. 5. Modern tourism seems to narrow the mind. 6. Passenger planes are believed to fly at a speed of 300 mph. 7. Modern tourism is unlikely to broaden the mind. 8. He is known to be a global trotter. 9. The train is said to be rather comfortable. 10. She is known to hitchhike on and off. 11. I happen to know Mr. Brown.

E.g 1. Говорят, что она хорошо поет.(She is said to sing well.) 2. Говорят, что она поет в своей комнате сейчас.(She is said to be singing.)3. Говорят, что она хорошо спела эту песню.(She is said to have sung this song well.) (4) Говорят, что она поет уже два часа.(She is said to have been singing for 20 minutes already.)

To work, to translate, to travel, to build, to book the tickets, to write a test-paper.

1. It is expected that the strike will end soon. 2. It is expected that the weather will be good tomorrow. 3. It is believed that the thieves got in through the kitchen. 4. It is reported that many people are homeless after the floods. 5. It is thought that the prisoner escaped by climbing over a wall. 6. It is reported that the man drove through the town at 90 mph. 7. It is reported that the building has been badly damaged by fire. 8. It is said that the company will lose a lot of money. 9. It is believed that the company lost a lot of money last year. 10. It is reported that the company is losing their money. 11. Teachers say that he is bright student. 12. They say she is an outstanding scientist. 12. They say she is at home.

V. Learn the following words:

Scope – сфера, to influence – влиять, to occur – происходить; to expel – исключать; rebellion – восстание, бунт; to reveal – раскрывать; to relinquish quest – оставлять поиски; verification – подтверждение, проверка; equality – равенство; to entail – влечь за собой; beneficial – полезный;

Sociology is the scientific study of human social relations or group life. Other disciplines within the social sciences—including economics, political science, anthropology, and psychology—are also concerned with topics that fall within the scope of human society. Sociologists examine the ways in which social structures and institutions—such as class, family, community, and power—and social problems—such as crime and abuse—influence society.

Social interaction, or the responses of individuals to each other, is perhaps the basic sociological concept, because such interaction is the elementary component of all relationships and groups that make up human society. Sociologists who concentrate on the details of particular interactions as they occur in everyday life are sometimes called microsociologists; those concerned with the larger patterns of relations among major social sectors, such as the state and the economy, and even with international relations, are called macrosociologists.

Auguste Comte (1798-1857) is known to be a French positivist philosopher, who was a founder of sociology. Comte was born in Montpellier on January 19, 1798. Very early he rejected his family's Roman Catholicism and royalist political views. He attended the École Polytechnique in Paris from 1814 to 1816, when he was expelled for participating in a student rebellion. For several years he was secretary to the noted socialist Claude Henri de Rouvroy, Comte de Saint-Simon, whose influence is reflected in much of Comte's work. His last years were marked by periods of mental illness. He died in Paris on September 5, 1857.

In response to the scientific, political, and industrial revolutions of his day, Comte was fundamentally concerned with an intellectual, moral, and political reorganization of the social order. Adoption of the scientific attitude was the key, he thought, to such a reconstruction.

Comte argued that an empirical study of historical processes, particularly of the progress of the various interrelated sciences, reveals a law of three stages that govern human development. He analyzed the stages in his major work, the six-volume Course of Positive Philosophy. Because of the nature of the human mind, each science or branch of knowledge passes through “three different theoretical states: the theological or fictitious state; the metaphysical or abstract state; and, lastly, the scientific or positive state.” At the theological stage, events are immaturely explained by appealing to the will of the gods or of God. At the metaphysical stage phenomena are explained by appealing to abstract philosophical categories. The final evolutionary stage, the scientific, involves relinquishing any quest for absolute explanations of causes. Attention is focused altogether on how phenomena are related, with the aim of arriving at generalizations subject to observational verification. Comte's work is considered the classical expression of the positivist attitude—namely, that the empirical sciences are the only adequate source of knowledge.

Each of the stages, Comte believed, is correlated with certain political developments. The theological stage is reflected in such notions as the divine right of kings. The metaphysical stage involves such concepts as the social contract, the equality of persons, and popular sovereignty. The positivist stage entails a scientific or “sociological” (a term coined by Comte) approach to political organization. Quite critical of democratic procedures, Comte envisioned a stable society governed by a scientific elite who would use the methods of science to solve human problems and improve social conditions.

Although he rejected belief in a transcendent being, Comte recognized the value of religion in contributing to social stability. In his four-volume System of Positive Polity, he proposed his religion of humanity, aimed at encouraging socially beneficial behavior. Comte's chief significance, however, derives from his role in the historical development of positivism.

VII. Paraphrase the following sentences:

1. Other disciplines within the social sciences are also concerned with topics that fall within the scope of human society.

2. Social interaction, or the responses of individuals to each other, is perhaps the basic sociological concept.

3. Sociologists who concentrate on the details of particular interactions as they occur in everyday life are sometimes called microsociologists.

4. Although he rejected belief in a transcendent being, Comte recognized the value of religion in contributing to social stability.

VIII. Fill in the blanks with the proper preposition:

1. Sociology is the scientific study … human social relations or group life.

2. Other disciplines within the social sciences are also concerned … topics that fall within the scope of human society.

3. Sociologists examine the ways in which social structures and institutions influence … society.

4. Social interaction, or the responses of individuals … each other, is perhaps the basic sociological concept, because such interaction is the elementary component of all relationships and groups that make … human society.

5. Sociologists who concentrate … the details of particular interactions as they occur in everyday life are sometimes called microsociologists.

6. Sociologists who are concerned … the larger patterns of relations … major social sectors, such … the state and the economy, and even … international relations, are called macrosociologists.

IX. Answer the following questions:

1. What is Auguste Comte?

2. What did he reveal in his studies?

3. What are three stages that govern human development according to Comte?

4. What is each of the stages correlated with?

5. How did he envision a stable society?

X. Make a brief summary of Comte’s accomplishments.

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