Where does Sociology come from and how does it differ from the other Social Sciences in .
Sociology, like other disciplines, uses particular methods in explaining society. This discipline tries to make sense of issues relating to society and people on a whole by rationalizing theories put forward as an explanation. Sociology is the term used to explain the study of society. Some well known early founders to this discipline, such as August Comte, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, have all contributed their understanding and theory to what sociology could be. In this essay, the intention is to look a little closer at those early contributors and to discuss how and where sociology may have come and how it may relate to other social sciences in explaining human behaviour. Mostly all Sociologists argue that sociology is used to explain human behaviour and other aspects relating to the human perspective on a whole. Most contributors to sociology, view sociology as a way of using the imagination in gaining knowledge and understanding into what is deemed as truth. (Giddens A, 1989).
The meaning of the word "Sociology" is the "Science of Society" and the definition of the word "Sociology", according to the Oxford dictionary; is the study of development, structure and functioning of the human society. Sociology can also be seen from a philosophical angle in reasoning and structuring arguments in looking for truth and understanding of what is real. The term "sociology" was first used by August Comte (1798-1857), a French philosopher who was credited as being the "founding father" of sociology. It is believed that it was through Comte's own ideas that the word "sociology" came into use with meaning. He saw sociology as a science and his main theory was known as "Positive philosophy" (Albrow M, 1997).
Karl Marx (1818-1883) has also been credited as being one of the early "founding fathers" of Sociology.
