The emergence of any new science is not a random process or a simultaneous one. At the initial stage, the appearance of some of its individual elements. Then their gradual formation and development takes place. And much later, the name is fixed, which displays the content and objects of study of this science.
What are the prerequisites for the emergence of sociology
As early as the 17th century, judgments appeared that society was modeled on a complex mechanism or system. At this time, the first prerequisites for the emergence of sociology appear. In the ideas of the philosophers of that era, society was a part of nature. But the laws that were already established at that time in many natural sciences - geometry, mechanics, astronomy - ran into many contradictions. This can explain the attempt at a formal approach to many social laws.
In the XVIII century, the physicist Newton was rapidly developing. The era of Enlightenment begins , which is characterized by its own prerequisites for the emergence of sociology. This is the time when society is represented as a kind of machine model in which every detail, even the smallest, performs its function. In connection with the mechanical model of society, the process of division of labor and the relationship between people are explained. Jean-Jacques Rousseau begins to consider the problem of stratification of society into rich and poor.
At this time, the first social studies are being conducted . So, in particular, in England, the foundations of the science of demography are laid by introducing methods for studying the laws that arise in society.
These prerequisites for the emergence of sociology contribute to the fact that by the middle of the 19th century the ground has already been prepared for the emergence and development of an emerging science. Moreover, at this time capitalism is rapidly developing, which gives rise to various social conflicts. There is an urgent need to explain political and social events. These and other factors are the prerequisites for the emergence of sociology as a separate science.
What events served as the historical prerequisites for the emergence of sociology
To better imagine what sociology is like a science, it is necessary to turn to the history of its origin, formation and development. It is difficult to clearly answer the question of where exactly the origins of this science originate from. After all, even in the days of the existence of Ancient Greece, philosophers wrote the first works examining the laws of society. That is, we can say that the historical background of the emergence of sociology is rooted in ancient times.
But finally, the scientific community recognized sociology as an independent science closer to the middle of the XIX century. Her ancestor was O. Comte, who was the first to engage in the study of society, bringing a scientific basis under it. His idea became the starting point in the formation and development of a new science - sociology. These are the basic historical prerequisites for the emergence of sociology.
The conditions for the emergence of theoretical premises of sociology
The emergence of sociology dates back to times of extreme instability in Europe. One rebellion breaks out after another: the weavers from Lyon (France) and Silesia (Germany) are dissatisfied, the Chartist movement appears in England, and later the revolution begins in France. All these events indicate that a crisis has begun in public relations. This created the theoretical prerequisites for the emergence of sociology.
Philosophers and scientists began to look for opportunities to predict which way the society would go next, on what basis it could rely, how its place would be determined in the course of historical events.
F. Engels and K. Marx proposed to solve these issues based on the concepts of scientific communism.
The founders of sociology - O. Comte, E. Durkheim, M. Weber, as well as G. Spencer - suggest connecting the development of society with the implementation of reforms. And they considered sociology as the tool that could lead to the knowledge of society and the development of the first steps to reform it.
As the theoretical prerequisites for the emergence of sociology, one can also consider the development at that time of individual sciences, such as biology and chemistry. And if the adherents of scientific communism discoveries in the field of these sciences served as the basis for creating dialectical materialism, then sociologists - for the development of a new science of life in society, which is based on the principles of biology.