Question: Sociology is of recent origins, but the study of society is not. Elaborate the statements?

Answer: Sociology is a scientific study of human behavior, human-interaction with each other, and society. The word sociology comes from the Latin word "Socius" which means "Campanion" and the Greek word "Logy" which means "To study". It is the empirical study of the structure and institution of society.

Sociology 


Sociology is of recent origins, but the study of society is not. Because sociology was established as a separate discipline in the 16th century which is based on the principle of scientific study with the help of the father of sociology "Auguste Comte". But before it, The study of society remain continued in past. but it has not a separate discipline. 

It was studied with a combination of other disciplines such as History, Philosophy, Religion, Politics, etc. There were many pieces of evidence of manuscript and books which showed the glimpse of the study of sociology such as Plato's Republic, Kautilya's Aarthshastra, Aristotle's Politics. 

In the medieval period, sociology still remains based on superstition and myth but later it was replaced by the scientific approach. because in the medieval period, there was the dominant of the Church on the mind of the society which caused the society to think based on metaphysical rather than scientific e.g., poverty is a natural evil, not a social cause. but in the state of the poor report which based on the empirical study that shows that poverty is not natural, but a social phenomenon. 

But during the period of Enlightenment in Europe, the study of sociology which is based on the empirical and rationality approach and literacy established a new science in the 16th century. There were many intellectuals who revealed their theory such as Adam Smith "the wealth of nation", Rousseau "the social contract", etc. as well as many sociologists who also were emerged such as Auguste Comte, Spencer, and Emile Durkheim. Its Enlightenment consequences, Rationality, Empirical, break out from the traditional evil practices of the medieval period. the enlightenment not bound into Europe but spread throughout the world.