Modern Sociological Theories

This book "Modern Sociological Theories" is the deliberate modification of social life. Thus modern sociologists search for the underlying principles and processes of social life in the hope that, once armed with knowledge of these principles and processes, men will be able to mold their societies more nearly to their own desires. Today, as in Comte’s time, sociology is an attempt to secure knowledge that will ultimately be useful in the shaping of human affairs. But whereas Comte and his contemporaries expected quick results from the application of the scientific method to the study of societies, modern sociologists know that even now no more than a beginning has been made.The term "sociology" was first used nearly a century ago by the French Savant Auguste Comte to designate the application of the scientific method to the study of human societies. In his day, as in ours, scientific investigation, as distinguished from biased and prejudicial speculation, was yielding information about natural phenomena that made possible a more effective use and control of nature.