INTRODUCTION

Social scientists spend most of their time talking about the nature and
interpretation of social reality. In trying to do this, they can derive their
knowledge from a number of means namely:

1. From our own social experience as members of a society and

2. From our location within the social structures in that society (Freeman, et al
1983). However, it is important to note that most of the sociological
knowledge is knowledge at second hand, not derived from our own
immediate experience. This means that the social reality being talked about
by sociologists is out there. The interpretation of this is that the social
reality is beyond the confines for sociologists (Simon and Barstein, 1985).

In order to understand this social reality, it is important to know that sociologists

rely, to a considerable extent, upon a variety of means which may include:
published researches: press, television and radio; and films, historical and literary
sources. However, as sociologists, we should understand that the reliability of
these sources varies from a scientific standpoint. This course is therefore
designed to introduce students/prospective sociologists to social science research
methods. By highlighting and conceptualizing basic elements and steps involved
in conducting scientific research that enhances the comprehension of social our
reality.
*Social reality-Actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized or
false nature of our social life.

Although, in time past, inference were drawn from mere thought, superstitions
beliefs, common sense and perception without further scrutiny and
critical/systematic analysis of the validity of its source. Today, as a result of
scientific method, which has been discovered, common sense as a method of
finding out more, is not all that important in research methodology even though
the two methods are still regarded as perception screening devices. Where the
two differ most critically is that unlike common sense method, scientific research
systematically makes explicit and changeable its basis. This is normally done
through two major ways: First is by testing the old submission and secondly by
creating new and alternative ones. This means that scientific methods can go
beyond its parochial cultural bonds. Thus, to do scientific research, one might say
is to challenge accepted beliefs by submitting them to scrutiny through the use of
demanding standards. This is in contrast to common sense approach in which the
beliefs are not subjected to systematic scrutiny in order to determine the
accuracy of these beliefs. From our discussion so far, it can be seen that social
science research not only corrects perception, it also expands it (Black and
Champion, 1976)

** Common sense: Sound practical judgment derived from experience and (or)
imagination rather than study.

Relationship between Philosophy and Science

The importance in conceptualizing the concepts: Philosophy and science cannot

be over emphasized. In this course philosophy is strongly rooted in the Greek
word philosophia, which means “love of wisdom”. It represents the rational and
critical inquiry into the basic principles. It represents the branch of knowledge or
academic study devoted to the systematic examination of basic concepts such as
truth, existence, reality, casualty and freedom. Philosophy is often divided into
four main branches: Metaphysics, the investigation of ultimate reality;
epistemology, the study of the origins, validity and limits of knowledge; ethics, the
study of the nature of morality and judgement and aesthetics, the study of the
nature of beauty in the fine arts.

As used by the ancient Greeks, the term philosophy meant the pursuit of
knowledge of its own sake. Philosophy comprised all areas of speculative thought
and included the arts, sciences and religion. As special methods and principles
were developed in the various areas of knowledge each area acquired its own
philosophical aspect, giving rise to the philosophy of art of science, and of
religion. The term philosophy is often used to popularly mean a set of basic values
and attitudes toward life, nature and society. Thus the phrase “philosophy of life”.

On the other hand, the word science conjures up certain expectations among
people as to what activities connote science and who is a scientist. The word
science comes from the Latin word Scire which means to know is likely than that
the original use of the word refers to knowledge as a whole. The most
distinguishing trait of science nowadays is that it refers to knowledge that appeals
to the human senses. In other words, it is knowledge that can be felt, touched or
smelt. Hence its emphasis is on the concrete pursuit of knowledge grounded on
empirical or observable rules and principles. According to Kellerher (1994) science
is “the activity of man by which her attempts to understand certain aspects of the
world by making controlled observations, collecting data and then discovering
patterns and laws which govern the behavior of things”. The above definition
brings out the fact that scientific pursuit is governed by observation, control and
efforts to predict. It sees science only as a concern with the nature of things or
behavior of things. As a matter of fact, the core requirements of scientific
knowledge is made more succinct in the definition of science by Larndis (1977). To
firm, science in a one sentence definition can be seen as understanding through
description can be seen as understanding through description by means of
measurement and which makes possible prediction and thus adjustment to or
control of the environment.

In essence, which both (philosophy and science) concepts highlights the desire for
knowledge, they differ slightly in their scope. Philosophy spans across all areas of
speculative thought, science limits its scope to knowledge grounded on empirical
or observable rules and principles. In addition, philosophy remains a reliable
source for scientific confirmation and expansion.

Development of science

Science, and indeed knowledge can be seen as having evolved through the years
to its present level of high rigour, precision and accuracy. In fact, the
development of knowledge can be seen as having occurred in three stages,
culminating in the emergence of science as the most rational and relatively
unbiased avenue for knowledge pursuit. These three stages are:

a. Mysticism