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Outline on  Paradigms: Shifting & Competing
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     -  Introduction:  The scientific culture often acts as if there are no anomalies
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Paradigms are sets of theories & assumptions that shape & underlie 
     explanations, especially scientific explanations, 
     including the general images & assumptions of reality which shape those theories
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AKA: Perspective:  an overall approach or viewpoint toward a subject which includes 
    a set of questions to be asked about the subject
    a general theoretical approach explaining the nature of the subject
    a set of values relating to the subject
    a paradigm
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Competing Paradigms:  competition of ideas 
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      Astronomy: collapsing universe vs. expanding universe
      Paleontology:  great comet vs. predation
          cold blooded vs warm blooded dinosaurs
      Biology:  Darwinians vs. evolutionary shock
      Sociology:  Functionalism vs. Conflict Theory     vs. Symbolic Interactionism
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Paradigm Shifts:  see the old in a new light & see new things, period
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     Examples: 
         World views changed from geo-centric to helio-centric
         polytheism to monotheism
         flat to round world
         earth centric to helio centric
         magic to science
         demons to mental illness
         Creationism to evolution
         Newtonian physics to Einsteinian physics
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Paradigms are also known as Perspectives, Schools, School of Thought, etc.
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Science does not embrace "One Truth" because human truth is always contested & relative
Rather, what is true is constantly changing
But we act as if science is One Truth
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Because there is no absolute truth
      & because people have competing ideas on what  is closest to truth,
      we have paradigms
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Chart on Paradigms, Theories, Laws, & Disciplines
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Sociology is a multiple paradigm science:  Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic-Interactionism
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In-class project on paradigms
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Examples
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See Also:  Paradigms & Sociological Theory
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See Also:  Social Laws
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Paradigms, Theories, Laws, Disciplines
Paradigm
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Set of theoretical assumptions that shape & underlie explanations of why society/the world is the way it is
Examples:  The Expanding Universe
Functionalism
Theory
Explanation of cause & effects that encompasses relationships btwn 2 or more facts
Examples:  Suicide is caused by isolation/lack of integration
Racism is taught/learned
Crime is caused by frustrated expectations
Poverty is caused by the concentration of wealth
Law
Theory or part of a theory that is well established & therefore has greater acceptance by  scientific community 
There are no laws in the social sciences
Examples:  Nothing can move faster than light
To every action, there is an equal & opposite reaction
Discipline A recognized area of academic exploration;  Examples: sociology, biology, literature
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