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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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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
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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
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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 |