SOCIOLOGY

Social Thought and Social Change

Social Thought and Social Change

The Enlightenment and Social Change

The Enlightenment had a direct correlation to the social changes that took place throughout Europe and in America. For example, the praising of intellect and the notion of rational thought forced political orders to be mindful of their justification. Reigning political structures could not simply be accepted because they had existed. Their legitimacy could only come about through intellectual reasoning. It was for this reason that democracy was seen as a force that undermined many of the political structures. The idea that individuals possessed a domain or realm that was inherently good, not to be taken away by any external end, also was seen in the embrace of individual rights. The sense of subjective entitlement was rooted in the Enlightenment's lauding of the individual and devaluing of structures that devalued the individual. Human beings were seen as the source or origin of greatness and glory, and within this, political orders and social orders had to acknowledge the entitlement of the individual, creating a great deal of social change.

The Enlightenment social thought played an important role: the liberal conception of the individual, society and economy, the concept of social contract (Rousseau), the idea of the constitution and the division of powers, the rule of law and protection of individual freedom. Rationalist and scientist attitude manifested itself also in the critique of revealed religion and institutionalization, and the postulate of natural religion, based on reason (Kant), of libertinism, which leads to immorality. Intelligence capabilities were grounded in the natural order that exists in nature, human society and its history. Despite the dominance of these ideas of the Enlightenment was not a coherent intellectual or attitudes of the team, as he grows to reveal the internal contradictions and signs of decay (Pocock, 1999, pp. 125-139).

Stages of History and Progress

History is the study or the science of facts or phenomena (of all kinds and of any duration) transcendent life of humanity that have been developed over time, in all its connections, both synchronous (with facts the same time) and diachronic (with its background and causes, and consequences).

primitivism, barbarism or nullity, and that is and will continue to advance in the future. Somehow the idea of progress is a summary of the past and a prophecy of the future. It's an idea inseparable from the other is that time flows so unilinear. However, it is a controversial idea. The differences begin when it comes to giving substance to the notion of progress. What is meant by progress? Usually two trends in the responses:

One is that progress is indeed in the slow and gradual improvement of knowledge in general, the various technical, artistic and scientific, of the many weapons with which man is confronted with the problems posed by nature or human endeavor to live in society. The other focuses more on the moral or spiritual situation of man on earth, in their happiness, their ability to break free from the ...