FAMILY QUESTIONS FOR THE MIDTERM

Thanks for getting your questions in in a timely manner. I was able to work through them and make my selections. You will note in some instances I did a substantial amount of editing, even changing the question slightly. Also, even though some family members were missing-in-action, I will give them credit. Perhaps on the next family exercise these MIAs can carry the load.

RED FAMILY (Holly, Alex, Peter, Jamar) earn 7 activity points.

1. Identify TWO of the three ideas that the positivist, evolutionary, and functional theories, featured in Section II of our text, contributed to sociological theory. (2)

ANSWER: Any 2 of the following: (1) society is orderly and rational, and our job is to understand it scientifically as it is. (2) society evolves or changes slowly and corrects its own problems. (3) society is like an organism with interrelated parts that meet needs and perform functions.

2. Briefly describe the basic difference between the conservative view of society and the view of the Enlightenment thinkers, as brought out in the first proposition from the xerox handout on the 10 propositions about society stemming from the conservative reaction to the Enlightenment. (2)

ANSWER: Conservatives were SOCIAL REALISTS, who believed society is a reality greater than the individuals who comprise it, whereas the Enlightenment thinkers were SOCIAL NOMINALISTS, who believed only individuals exist and society is just a name one gives to the interrelationship among individuals.


BLUE FAMILY (Wilson, Kelly, Lauren, Tim) earn 7 activity points.

1. Identify and briefly describe TWO of the three stages of Comte's law of societal evolution. (4)

ANSWER: Any 2 of the following:
THEOLOGICAL (or fictitious) STAGE: Man believed in spiritual or supernatural forces behind natural phenomena, which corresponded with a theocratic form of government -- leaders thought to have special knowledge or connections with the spirit realm. Order but no progress.
METAPHYSICAL (or abstract) STAGE: rejects spiritual or supernatural explanation of the world in favor of one based on philosophical principles; ultimately gives rise to democratic ideas (revolutionary and critical). Progress but no order.
POSITIVISTIC (or scientific) STAGE: in the process of being born, where factual, scientific explanation of the world takes hold and scientists (especially sociologists) need to take charge of society. Order and progress.

2. Briefly explain the difference between "repressive" sanctions (connected with primitive or traditional society) and "restitutive" sanctions (connected with modern society). (2)

ANSWER: Repressive sanctions stem from penal law and focus on punishing (harming or killing) someone who violates the law, whereas restitutive sanctions are more concerned with restoring the previous state of affairs rather than merely punishing someone.


ORANGE FAMILY (Katie, John, Stephanie, Terry) earn 7 activity points + 1 bonus point.

1. According to Durkheim, what was primarily responsible for the growth of the division of labor and subsequent development of modern society? (1)

ANSWER: increasing population density

2. Describe the difference between sociological theory and ideology. (2)

ANSWER: ideology is value-laden, while sociological theory is not -- sociological theory strives to be objective.

3. Briefly explain or describe ONE of the analogies Comte draws between his stages of societal evolution and three stages of human life. (2)

ANSWER: Any one of the following:
(1)theological -- childhood, because children tend to see the world as mysterious, inhabited by spirits
(2)metaphysical -- adolescence, because young people tend to be imaginative, idealistic, also critical of and reject authority.
(3)positivistic -- adult, because adults tend to be more realistic, have more experience, factual, more mature.


GREEN FAMILY (T.J., Kit, Brianna, William) earn 7 activity points + 1 bonus point.

1. Among the three "Research Traditions" the authors identify in the first chapter is "Critical Theory." What is "Critical Theory?" (2)

ANSWER: Critical theory rejects the idea that knowledge can be objective and in contrast to positivism which can only reveal how to reach goals but is morally indifferent to the goals themselves, critical theory attempts to discover what these goals should be, or seeks to envision a better society.

2. What is social contract theory? (1)

ANSWER: The idea that humans had formed together and decided instead of living in an unorganized, chaotic, insecure state of nature that they would give up some of this natural freedom in return for stability and security of the state.

3. What is social realism? (1)

ANSWER: The idea that society is a reality greater than the individuals who comprise it.
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That's it. REMEMBER, ALL OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS WILL BE ON THE MIDTERM EXAM. See you next Tuesday.