Overview

Principles of Scientific Sociology represents a major attempt to redirect the course of contemporary sociological thought. It is clear, well-organized, innovative, and original in its discussion of the context and methods of sociology conceived as a natural science. Wallace delineates the subject matter of sociology, classifies its variables, presents a logic of inquiry, and advocates the use of this logic for the acceptance or rejection of hypotheses or theories and for the solving of human problems. Social scientists, including political scientists, sociologists, anthropologists, historians, economists, social psychologists, and students of social phenomena among nonhumans, will find this work indispensable reading. Principles of Scientifc Sociology emphasizes the relationship between pure and applied sociological analysis. The essential contributions of each to the other are specified. Relationships between the substantive concepts of the sociology of humans, on the one hand, and the sociology of nonhumans, on the other, are systematized. In an attempt to put sociological analysis on a firm scientific basis, the book contains a concluding chapter focusing on central premises of natural science and their applicability to sociology. Wallace identifies the simple elements and relationships that sociological analysis requires if it is to lead to an understanding of complex social phenomena. On this basis, he considers the substantive elements and relations that comprise structural functionalism, historical materialism, symbolic interactionism, and other approaches to social data. He develops groundwork for standardizing these elements so that the contexts of different analyses may become rigorously comparable. The result is a fine, one-volume synthesis of sociological theory.

Full Product Details

Author:   Walter Wallace
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Inc
Imprint:   AldineTransaction
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 3.40cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.861kg
ISBN:  

9780202303048

ISBN 10:   0202303047
Pages:   556
Publication Date:   30 December 1983
Audience:   College/higher education ,  General/trade ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 1. General Introduction Objectives Method Contents Uses PART I: SOCIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION 2. Introduction to Part I A Generic Definition of Social Phenomena Primary Distinctions Within Each Component of the Generic Definition Social Structure, Cultural Structure, Spatial Regularity, and Temporal Regularity Social Structure Plus Cultural Structure, and Spatial Regularity Plus Temporal Regularity Social Structure, Cultural Structure, Spatial Regularity, and Temporal Regularity in Sociobiology 3. Social Structure Individual Physical Behaviors Within-Individual Aggregates of Physical Behaviors Across-Individuals Aggregates of Physical Behaviors Forms of Between-Individuals Physical Behavior Coincidence Summary 4. Cultural Structure Individual Psychical Behaviors Within-Individual Aggregates of Psychical Behaviors Across-Individuals Aggregates of Psychical Behaviors Forms of Between-Individuals Psychical Behavior Coincidence Summary 5. Spatial and Temporal Regularities Dimensions of Spatial and Temporal Regularities Social Change and Stability Social Spacing Types of Social Change and Social Spacing Combined Summary 6. Hierarchic Structure in Social Phenomena Four Variants of Hierarchic Structure The Principle of Hierarchic Structure Complex Social Phenomena Summary PART II: SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION AND PREDICTION 7. Introduction to Part II The Target of Sociological Explanation A Generic Typology of Sociological Explanatory Variables Qualifying Comments on the Typology Many-Variable Causal Models 8. Internal Variables Materialism Nurturism Instinctivism Enculturism Summary 9. External People Variables-Body Demographism Social Structuralism Summary 10. External People Variables-Mind Psychical Contagionism Cultural Structuralism Summary 11. External Thing Variables Ecologism Technologism Summary 12. Many-Variable Causal Models Hierarchically Structured Causes or Effects Relations Within the Same Level of a Causal Hierarchy Durkheim's Combinations of Causal Models and the Variables They Contain Summary PART III: SciENTIFic PROCEDURE 13. Introduction to Part III Subject Matter Procedures of Scientific Analysis Imaginary and Actual Analyses, and Individual and Collective Analyses Pure and Applied Phases of Scientific Analysis Understanding of What? Control Over What? Substantive Interrelationships 14. Pure Science Observations Empirical Generalizations Explanations Explanatory and Predictive Procedures Tests Summary 15. Applied Science Plans Decisions Implementations Outcomes and Evaluations Summary 16 Premises of Scientific Procedure, and Objections to Employing that Procedure in Sociology Object Premises Subject Premises Objections to Applying Scientific Procedure to Sociology Summary Concluding Remarks References Name Index Subject Index

Reviews

-[A] beautiful book... [It contains] clear systematic thinking, a gift for lucid argument, and a clever turn of phrase... In sum, Wallace's Principles of Scientific Sociology is a most pleasant book.- --Randall Collins, American Journal of Sociology -Wallace has done a lot of hard work, and his book... offer[s]... valuable and interesting insights.- --George A. Huaco, Contemporary Sociology -[T]he logic, clarity, and uncluttered simplicity of the argument are dazzling.- --Kenneth Westhues, Social Forces -This book has two aims: to display sociology as -a generalized, disciplinary consensus- (first two parts); and to -identify the several fronts on which we should... advance sociology as a scientific discipline- (third and final parts).- --I. C. Jarvie, Philosophy of Science -It really is a major work...wellnigh encyclopedic within its chosen limits....It is the best presentation I have seen of an updated and comprehensive advocacy of a sociology conceived as a natural science.- --Robin M. Williams, Jr., Cornell University ""[A] beautiful book... [It contains] clear systematic thinking, a gift for lucid argument, and a clever turn of phrase... In sum, Wallace's Principles of Scientific Sociology is a most pleasant book."" --Randall Collins, American Journal of Sociology ""Wallace has done a lot of hard work, and his book... offer[s]... valuable and interesting insights."" --George A. Huaco, Contemporary Sociology ""[T]he logic, clarity, and uncluttered simplicity of the argument are dazzling."" --Kenneth Westhues, Social Forces ""This book has two aims: to display sociology as ""a generalized, disciplinary consensus"" (first two parts); and to ""identify the several fronts on which we should... advance sociology as a scientific discipline"" (third and final parts)."" --I. C. Jarvie, Philosophy of Science ""It really is a major work...wellnigh encyclopedic within its chosen limits....It is the best presentation I have seen of an updated and comprehensive advocacy of a sociology conceived as a natural science."" --Robin M. Williams, Jr., Cornell University ""[A] beautiful book... [It contains] clear systematic thinking, a gift for lucid argument, and a clever turn of phrase... In sum, Wallace's Principles of Scientific Sociology is a most pleasant book."" --Randall Collins, American Journal of Sociology ""Wallace has done a lot of hard work, and his book... offer[s]... valuable and interesting insights."" --George A. Huaco, Contemporary Sociology ""[T]he logic, clarity, and uncluttered simplicity of the argument are dazzling."" --Kenneth Westhues, Social Forces ""This book has two aims: to display sociology as ""a generalized, disciplinary consensus"" (first two parts); and to ""identify the several fronts on which we should... advance sociology as a scientific discipline"" (third and final parts)."" --I. C. Jarvie, Philosophy of Science ""It really is a major work...wellnigh encyclopedic within its chosen limits....It is the best presentation I have seen of an updated and comprehensive advocacy of a sociology conceived as a natural science."" --Robin M. Williams, Jr., Cornell University ""It really is a major work...wellnigh encyclopedic within its chosen limits....It is the best presentation I have seen of an updated and comprehensive advocacy of a sociology conceived as a natural science."" --Robin M. Williams, Jr., Cornell University ""It really is a major work...wellnigh encyclopedic within its chosen limits....It is the best presentation I have seen of an updated and comprehensive advocacy of a sociology conceived as a natural science."" --Robin M. Williams, Jr., Cornell University

<p> It really is a major work...wellnigh encyclopedic within its chosen limits....It is the best presentation I have seen of an updated and comprehensive advocacy of a sociology conceived as a natural science. --Robin M. Williams, Jr., Cornell University

Author Information

Walter Wallace

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