Here are some things to focus on from today:
0) How are different worldviews/paradigms in sociology like quantum mechanics/general relativity in physics? How are they different?
1) Inductive and deductive reasoning - if I give you an example can you tell the difference?
2) Theory vs. proposition vs. hypothesis. What is the difference between a theory and a proposition? What is the difference between a proposition and a hypothesis?
3) Why don't we "prove" things or identify "truth" in sociology?
4) Be familiar with the steps of the scientific method (the order of the process)?
Y'all are doing a great job with comments. Keep up the good work!
Wallace's wheel of Science actually explains the relationship between empirical observations and how raw data gets analyzed to form inductive propositions. Its basically this pre-theory statement that gets generalized later on by a process known as empirical generalization wherein the proposition gets tested using several observations and measurements. Thus, after giving it a proper structure, it is now termed as a theory. Conversely, theories can be put to a test by logical deduction whereby previously proven theories are used to arrive at a new proposition. Later,hypotheses are developed and through operationalization various measurements and observations are recorded which constitute the raw data that is analyzed, either proving or overturning the theory.
ReplyDelete-lionel/ Akshay Patel
Inductive reasoning pulls from specific observations to make broader generalizations. Based on observations we see in the world, we should be able to notice patterns and create specific theories. Deductive reasoning works the other way around, by applying general principles to reach specific results.
ReplyDeleteTo pull from the example we learned in class, based on inductive reasoning if we saw several white swans, we would then induce that all swans are white. While this may not be true, it is what inductive reasoning leads us to. An example of deduction would be to start with a broader generalization, such as "all birds have feathers. A swan has feathers, therefore it is a bird."
To help me distinguish between inductive and deductive, I break the two words down. I think of "de" as taking away, as in starting with a broader thought and "taking away" a smaller fact from it. For inductive reasoning, since you are adding onto specific observations to make bigger generalizations, you are putting things "in" to it.
-Sarah Wigmore
We can't prove things is sociology because there is no evidence that can be held true for all scenarios. We may be able to say something is highly supported but we cannot say it is 100% true. For example we may observe that every single duck is white on the planet Earth. However we cannot prove that every single duck was white in the past or will be white in the future.
ReplyDeleteAakash Patel
Inductive reasoning is know as bottom up processing. When using inductive reasoning an individual may have an observation in daily life and from that observation (of the specific) make a broader and more generalizable theory. For example: If I kept seeing swans that were white time after time, my experience in daily life would allow me to generalize and broadly state that all swans are white. Inductive, in bottom up, goes from most specific to most general. Deductive however uses preconceived ideals, heuristics, and theories to help understand the specific or hypothesize/ categorize what we believe would happen based on prior knowledge. In this direction- I would take my prior knowledge- that most swans are white, I would use that and infer that if I were to see a swan it would most likely be white.
ReplyDeleteColleen Snitzer
ReplyDeleteThe scientific method starts with evaluating a sequence of events. Then, identify covariates. Next, assign cause and effect by time order. Next, propose a mechanism relating cause and effect. Then, apply logic to a new scenario, develop a hypothesis and test. Lastly, rule out any alternate explanations.
Inductive reasoning is when a specific example/observation is made and from that comes a broad generalization. From the specific observation, usually patterns and trends are found and then a hypothesis is developed and from this a theory is made. Deductive reasoning is when past research is read. A general theory is applied to a specific example. Using deductive reasoning can confirm or reject a theory.
ReplyDeleteRyan Muscatella
ReplyDeleteProving something and telling if something is true or not is a difficult process with any form of science. Even though someone might go through the entire procedure of the scientific method by wondering a certain question, doing research, creating a hypothesis, and testing out the results, there can always be an exception to a specific form of data. Even though something may seem like it follows a certain path or direction every time, there are too many scenarios in the world to make everything 100% legitimate and true. Not everything is what it seems to be on the outside.
World views and paradigms are not easily compared to quantum mechanics and physics in my opinion. There isn't too much to prove as right versus wrong when it comes to a world view because all world views depend on the mindset of the person viewing the world. I'm not trying to sound entirely too literal, but essentially, every person is unique and different. Therefore, in no way can social interactions be proven as black or white. I can agree that in physics, what goes around, comes around; in society, a lot of what we see in human interaction is repeated in similar enough ways to make comparisons of populations on a massive scale. Although groups may behave similarly in interesting ways, the individual is so unique that it is unfair to qualify sociology as a science such as physics.
ReplyDeleteInductive reasoning is making a rule out of a specific example, where as deductive reasoning is applying a specific example to a generalization that has been originally posed or maintained by society.
Inductive reasoning is when sociologists take specific observations, like seeing a group of white swan and then applying that knowledge into a more broad generalization. Such as, if these thundred swan are white, all swan are white. Deductive is when one takes general information and previously proven fact and apply it to a specific situation to make an observation based on the past research. In deductive reasoning, you are deducing a new relationship from past data. In inductive reasoning, you are observing specific relationships and drawing a general conclusion based on them.
ReplyDeleteWorkviews/paradigm are the perspectives on how we view the world that focus on assumptions and goals. Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanics that deals with mathematical descriptions. General relativity is Albert Einstein's geometric theory of gravity. Inductive reasoning is a process of how we seek that we think it's true but we need strong evidences like comparing a pattern. Deductive reasoning is making one or more reasons to a statement to apply the conclusion. We can relate to these reasonings with the Wallace's Wheel of Science. Theory is the idea to explain a certain fact. Proposition is a statement that needs to be explained. Hypothesis is a idea that has not been proven.
ReplyDeleteAmeerat olatunde
It is impossible to prove things or find the truth in sociology because there are too many factors and exceptions. In scientific studies, nothing is ever proved because no one has observed every single scenario, things can only be theorized. This is even more evident in sociology because you are dealing with complex human beings. It is impossible to find the "truth" about the way people act in society because there are so many influences and aspects affecting a persons behavior that can't be controlled in a study.
ReplyDelete-Shannon Healy
We do not "prove" things or identify "truth" in sociology because, when scientific studies are conducted, only correlations can be identified. Correlations can show if there is a possible relationship between different factors. However, they do not prove causation, which is the idea that one factor definitely has an effect on another factor. Also, in sociology, there are many factors that are not identified in a study but could affect another factor. Lastly, people as individuals are not exactly the same. Even if some people have certain similarities, they will not all behave similarly.
ReplyDelete-Simon Chang
A theory is a statement that proposes a relationship between two variables and is tested over and over. Induction is basically the exploration of the world through observations; out of these observations we assume things. Deduction is when you build upon a theory and justify it. Propositions and Hypothesis are virtually the same thing, except that propositions deal with concepts and Hypotheses deal with measurements. Sociology does not "prove" anything because sociology observes relationships between two variables and these correlations do not necessarily mean causation.
ReplyDeleteAn induction is that, an individual after daily observation or worldview comes out a theory. For example, if I see white swan everyday and have never seen any black swan, I'm going to come out the theory that all the swans are white. And deduction is that we use the general idea to infer the specific case. For example, if I am going to see a swan, I will think this swan is a white swan.
ReplyDelete-Qiao Mi
Deductive reasoning would cause us to refer back to certain generalizations that we have made before. It requires us to compare our observations with prior knowledge that is backed by research or a widespread generalization. Inductive reasoning causes us to create a new conclusion/observation about something. We are looking at it for the first time and we don’t know what it is. We make a pattern based off of repetitive encounters. For example, if a person says that it rains after dark clouds appear in the sky, that person used inductive reasoning. If you see that there are storm clouds appearing, and you know from science that they produce rain, and you predict that it will rain soon, then you are performing deductive reasoning. You based your reasoning off of something that is confirmed to be true.
ReplyDelete