Sociology is defined thus:? The systematic study of relationships
among people, the assumption being that behaviour is influenced by
social, political, occupational and intellectual groupings and by the
particular settings in which individuals find themselves.", by the
website http://www.lcsc.edu/ss150/glossary.htm
The three founding fathers of the science of sociology are considered
to be Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber.
The beginnings of sociology usually refers to western societies, but
has now, of course, been expanded to look at all human societies.
Ibn Khaldun, the great Arab historian and philosopher of history lived
from 1332AD-1395AD (or 1406AD in some records), and therefore lived
too early to be considered as a founding father of a science that was
a study of western themes. Now however, his works are viewed as both
an important addition to both western and eastern thought and a very
important contribution to the history of the period. Some have called
him the founder of the science of economics, beating Adam Smith to
that honour and, no doubt, will be called by some the father of
sociology by others as his work becomes more read and added to the
great store of knowledge that makes up the western cannon. |
