What is Sociology and how does it differ from common sense? The Chambers dictionary definition of sociology is “the study of the structure and functioning of human society”. Human society and interactions have fascinated philosophers and social scientists for a very long time. However, the academic study of sociology is a fairly recent phenomenon. It was first defined by French philosopher Auguste Comte in the 1830’s. He used it to describe his concept of a …showed first 75 words of 491 total…

…showed last 75 words of 491 total…that the identity of the primary caretaker is irrelevant to an infant, so long as the care is consistent and empathetic. This is a prime example of how commonly subscribed beliefs and reality often do not meet. Sociology aims to overcome these common sense views, and look at societal issues in a systematic and methodical manner, without a bias. This helps us to understand society, and the people in it on a much wider scale.