The concept of "society" is wide and diverse. This is humanity as a whole, and a certain stage in its development (for example, primitive communal, socialist, etc.). A society is an association of people that has arisen due to a rational, purposeful, joint activity organized by them. Its members do not communicate so deeply and closely, as, for example, in true community.
Society refers to a group of people of a certain state (for example, French) or a circle of interests (for example, fishing lovers). However, in the broadest sense of the word, it denotes a part of the material world that, in the process of evolution, has been isolated from nature, but has retained a close connection with it.
Society is characterized by forms of association of individuals or groups, their interaction, relationships. It is based on the same focus of interests specified in the contract, convention or other acts. Society, in contrast to generality, has less influence on the change in personality of an individual. Often this refers to the sphere located between the individual and the state.
Society and public relations are very close in essence concepts. In a certain sense, we can say that society - this is the totality of all relations arising within it. This is a very complex, but well-organized system, which is characterized by:
- A wide variety of subsystems (spheres) and social groups.
- Relationships, relationships and other forms of interaction of members taking place inside and outside a closed system.
- Self-sufficiency i.e. the ability to create certain conditions through joint action.
- Alternative development, dynamism, the inability to take a completed character.
- Nonlinearity (unpredictability) of development.
In addition, like any harmonious system, society is distinguished by its integrity. This is not just the sum of the elements, it is something more that transcends the limits and possibilities of one system element, including all the relationships that unite people.
The systemic structure of society implies that the concept can be divided into smaller components, called the "subsystem" of society or its sphere.
- The economic sphere includes in its composition absolutely all the relations that arise in the process of creation, distribution, consumption of material goods. A fact or example of the economic subsystem of a company may be the development of an oil or gold field, the production of any goods.
- Political subsystem - a set of interconnections of such types as state-society, state-party, etc. An example (fact) of such a subsystem of a company is legislative activity, the conduct of state campaigns, referenda, as well as managerial state activity.
- Social subsystem - relations between classes, nations, faiths, different ages, professional and other layers. Facts: getting married, getting benefits.
- Spiritual sphere - relations that are born and develop in the process of creating spiritual values, their storage, popularization. Examples of the spiritual subsystem of society: the activities of research institutes, cultural institutions, religious organizations.
- Today, philosophy deals with the study of human society. She considers this concept as a unity of the most different elements, parts, components. All of them are tightly connected, interdependent, cannot exist as separate parts (or spheres). It is these interactions and relationships that make society a holistic system that differs from others (for example, biological) in a much more complex device.