DISS Learning Comptency 1 @ 2

Chapter 1
Emergence of the Social
Sciences
Allan E. Basuga

At the end of the lesson, you should
manifest the following skills:
► Define Social Sciences as a study of society
► Distinguish Social and Natural Sciences and Humanities

ANALYSIS
1. What is Social Science?
2. What is its application to social issues?
3. How does the meaning of social science
change with respect to its field of specialization
or the discipline used in studying and analyzing
the subject?

ABSTRACTION: what is social science?
September 11, 2001 will forever be remembered
in modern history as a day of infamy. Four planes
were commandeered by terrorists to crash into
the two towers of the World Trade Center in New
York City, the Pentagon, and the White House or
the Capitol.

Three of the planes hit their targets, while
the fourth plane crashed on a field in rural
Pennsylvania and missed its target because
of the initiative and joint action of the
passengers and crew of the plane.

Naturally, questions crop up in the aftermath.
Who is the group behind the attack and what
kind of influence do they hold over the
individuals who carried out the attack? Why
target the US and ordinary civilians? What could
have been done to thwart or even prevent it?

Such questions may be answered by the
different disciplines under the social
sciences, which look into the historical,
cultural, sociological, psychological, and the
political forces that shape the actions of
individuals and its impact on society.

ABSTRACTION: What is social science?
Science is generally understood as an
endeavor to understand, explain and
predict the world we live in using distinctive
methods of inquiry in an attempt to
construct theories.

Social sciences deal with “human society,
societal groups, individuals in their
relationships with others or institutions of
societies and material goods as expression
of human cohabitation” (Bayer, 1992).

According to James High “Social Sciences as
those bodies of learning and study which
recognizes the simultaneous and mutual
action of physical and non-physical stimuli
which produce social relation.”

According to Charles Beard “Social Sciences
are a body of knowledge and thought
pertaining to human affairs as distinguished
from sticks, stones, stars and physical
objects.”

Bining and Bining defines Social Science as
“the subject that relate to the origin,
organization, and development of human
society, especially to man in his association
with other men.”

Social science as a discipline came about as a
result of the need to understand society that is
evolving to be ever more complex and
multifaceted. The scientific nature of the
discipline makes it suitable in addressing social
issues that have not been encountered before.

Simply put, social science is the study of society.
It is a useful instrument in understanding the
complexities and issues involved in the
interrelationships of the different variables that
produce the state of affairs at every level in
society.

SOCIAL SCIENCES, NATURAL SCIENCES, AND
HUMANITIES
Social science is different from natural
science and humanities because its
primary interest lies in predicting and
explaining human behavior.

HUMANITIES
Natural science, on the other hand,
aims to predict all natural phenomena
and its studies are based on
experimentally controlled condition
of material entities.

HUMANITIES
Humanism, seeks to understand
“human reactions to events and the
meanings humans impose on experience
as a function of culture, historical era,
and life history” (Kagan, 2009).

HUMANITIES
The use of the scientific method unites these
three fields of study although it is more
commonly used in the social sciences and natural
sciences than in humanism. The scientific
method is a systematic and logical approach in
acquiring and explaining knowledge.

HUMANITIES
In pursuing research, the use of scientific
method is required. The steps in the scientific
method are as follows: Defining the
problem, Reviewing the literature, Forming
hypothesis, Collecting and analyzing data,
and Drawing conclusions.

HUMANITIES
The scientific method is very important in the
field of social science since it is the instrument by
which issues and problems are examined and
recommendations for policy-making are offered
depending on the findings of the study
conducted.

LET’S APPLY OUR LEARNING!
● How can society best address or solve the problem of
poverty?
● Are you in favor with the government program-
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps which aims
to break the cycle of poverty by providing immediate
monetary assistance to the poorest of the poor?

LET’S APPLY OUR LEARNING!
● Based on the picture below, identify one
major social issue or problem (except
POVERTY) that greatly affects the Philippine
society. Explain how the social sciences can be
used to address this issue or social problem.

ASSESSMENT!
● In group of five, define, through enactment, Social
Science as the study of society. You may use the following:
Live broadcasting, Role playing, Poster making, or Singing.
● Distinguish, through a drama, Social and Natural
Sciences and Humanities

DISS Learning Comptency 1 @ 2

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