VALENCA BAPTIST CHRSTAN ACADEMY

SENOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES
GRADE 11 GAS & HESS

SOCIAL SCIENCES
Essentially, the term “Social Sciences” is defined as the body of knowledge concerned with the
methodical study of various aspects of our society, numerous social phenomena, and the
impacts of these occurrences on people’s lives. It is characterized as the area of study that deals
with the human behavior in its cultural and social facets. Also, it is considered as the branch of
science that focuses on the interpersonal relationships among people living in a society. Over
the past centuries, Social Sciences focused on the contributing factors or elements that molded
and governed the development of the human civilization. Speaking of elements, what are the
important elements of Social Sciences?

ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

As you can see, there are two words comprising the term “Social Sciences.” These words
represent the two substantial elements of Social Sciences, which are the society (social) and the
empirical analysis (science). Society, the first element of Social Sciences, puts the entire body of
knowledge in individuals as social beings and their social backgrounds or environments. It
situates Social Sciences in people and social issues that are affecting them. On the other hand,
empirical analysis places the Social Sciences in an academic mode of investigation about human
society using the scientific method, the systematic and rational process of obtaining knowledge.
Because of this element, learning about society and understanding the things that are
happening in it need to be conducted experimentally such as having a keen observation, critical
analysis, and interpretation of social facts, which include data and information about a
particular social phenomenon, identified from the individuals living within a certain society. This
element is also the reason why Social Sciences are recognized as scientific disciplines, which
help people grasp the idea of society and its complexities. Now, the question is: How Social
Sciences started to be recognized as scientific disciplines?
HISTORY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
The roots of some of the important concepts and purposes of Social Sciences go completely
back to the ancient Greece. The contributions of the ancient Greece in the area of social
thought are still noticeable even up to these days. We have Social Sciences today because of
the Greeks’ willpower to understand everything in the essence of rational inquiry. Without
this determination, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, two historical periods where
some of the major evolutionary ideas emerged, would not have served their own respective
purposes in the course of our civilization, especially the Enlightenment (17th-18th century)
where the study of society started to become somewhat scientific. Before and during the Age
of Enlightenment, the approaches used by several social philosophers in examining human
societies were much more philosophical than scientific. Numerous philosophes, the
intellectuals or social philosophers who shaped the 18th century Enlightenment, considered
this as a disagreeable continuing influence of the past that is needed to be opposed through
enlightenment, critical reason, and, if necessary, revolution. Because of this new spirit,
several important contributions were made for the Social Sciences during the Age of
Enlightenment such as growth when it comes to the consciousness of the diversity of human
experience in our world, spreading sense of the cultural or social character of human actions
within society, and, most prominently, the development of ideal of a science of society, a
distinct area of study that has its particular distinctive focus of attention. Although Social
Sciences have their own distinguishing subject matters, these fields utilize the same
philosophical system that directed the progress of other disciplines such as Physical Sciences
and Biological Sciences, and that is Positivism. Positivism is a philosophy that believes that
every single reasonable affirmation can be scientifically proven or tested by empirical
sciences or is capable of mathematical or logical evidence. Furthermore, it holds that for us to
attain a certain scientific idea, objectivity and practical investigation of evidences must be
observed. This philosophical theory is guiding Social Sciences in grasping and explaining
numerous social phenomena through systematic observations, critical analyses, and
interpretations of social facts found among the people living in a specific society such as
interpersonal relationships and human activities. Auguste Comte (1798-1857), the founder of
Positivism and the one who foreshadowed the use of this philosophy in studying human
behaviors, argued that metaphysics and theology are imperfect methods in searching for
knowledge; that rational thought is far more powerful in comparison to faith and superstition
in explaining different social phenomena. He proposed that theism and metaphysics should
be rejected since these modes of knowledge cannot be proven by empirical analysis and,
therefore, are unreliable. Now that you already knew that Social Sciences are also employing
the scientific method in studying their own subject matters, the next question is: What makes
Social Sciences different from other disciplines like Natural Sciences and Humanities?

NATURAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

What makes Social Sciences unique from other areas of study such as Natural Sciences and
Humanities is that these disciplines concentrate on analyzing and explaining the different
aspects of social life of the individuals including their behaviors. Also, these fields focus on
observing and interpreting various social phenomena. On the other hand, Natural Sciences, or
the sciences of nature, give attention on investigating every single natural phenomenon that
occurred, or is currently happening, in our world using tangible evidences like natural forces,
fossils, and artifacts. These areas of study explore the laws of nature that rule our world
through objective and empirical approaches. Also, Natural Sciences can be further
categorized into Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Earth Sciences and many more.
Humanities, differently, are academic disciplines that study numerous human conditions and
the manners wherein the human experiences are treated and recorded. Additionally, these
studies aim to comprehend the human perspective of individuals’ social existence and the
responses these people are displaying on different occurrences. For instance, the literary
works of Jose Rizal, such as Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, aim to educate the
Filipinos on the persecutions experienced by our countrymen during the Spanish regime.
Even though these three fields of study are different from one another, they are also sharing
a few similarities in some areas. Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Humanities are all
employing the scientific method in producing knowledge, though this systematic process is
more usual in Social Sciences and Natural Sciences since Humanities are more focused on the
creative expressions of human experiences. When it comes to the similarity between Social
Sciences and Humanities, some of the disciplines of Social Sciences are also affiliated with
Humanities such as Anthropology, Linguistics, and, especially, History. History is considered
as the borderline to the two fields of knowledge since its methods and insights penetrate
both Social Sciences and Humanities.

R E M E M B E R!!!!
• The term “Social Sciences” is characterized as the body of knowledge concerned with the
systematic study of various aspects of human society, several social phenomena, and the
effects of these occurrences on people’s lives.
• Positivism is a philosophical theory that believes that all reasonable assertions can be
systematically tested or proven by empirical sciences or is capable of logical or mathematical
evidence.
• Auguste Comte is the founder of Positivism and the one who suggested the use of this
philosophical system in learning about human behaviors.
• Natural Sciences concentrate on examining all natural phenomena that happened, or are
currently occurring, in the world through tangible evidences such as fossils, artifacts, and
natural forces.
• Humanities are disciplines that deal with several human conditions and the manners in
which the human experiences are processed and recorded.
A C T I V I T Y! WRITE ON YOUR Notebook.

Activity 1.1. Defining Moment

Objective: Describe Social Sciences as the comprehensive study of society.
Directions:
1. Develop your own comprehensive definition of the term “Social Sciences.”
2. Write your definition on your activity notebook.
3. Use other sources like dictionaries and search engines if these will only serve
as additional references.
Social Science /ˌsōSHəl ˈsīəns/ n. ______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Activity 1.2. Triple Bottom Line (TBL) (Critical Thinking, Communication)

Objective: Compare and contrast Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Humanities
Directions:
1. Compare and contrast Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Humanities
2. Make your Triple Venn Diagram on a separate sheet of paper.
3. Answer the guide Questions:
1. What are the similarities of Social Science to Natural Science and Humanities?
2. How does Social Science differ from Natural Science?
3. How does Social Science differ from Humanities?
Activity 1.3. Slogan Making Period (SMP) (Character, Communication, Creativity) Objective:
Appreciate the importance of Social Sciences as instruments to deeply understand the society
Directions:
1. Generate your own slogan about the significance of Social Sciences as instruments in
understanding our society.
2. Write your slogan on a bond paper.
3. Create your output creatively and imaginatively.
Rubrics
Criteria Highest Possible Points
Relevance (relation to the topic) 20 points
Originality (uniqueness) 20 points
Creativity (artistry) 10 points
Overall Slogan Impact (appeal) 10 points
Total 60 point

Activity 1.4 concept map.

Activity 1.5 Assessment A & B