SOC 3310 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ayran, Atavism, Herbert Blumer

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3310
• Professor: Reza Barmaki

Document Summary

Animals are creatures of instinct but human beings have greater capacities including the ability to reason, empathy, we have a greater level of needs beyond the basic physiological needs, most importantly, humans communicate symbolically - through language/words. Europe was destroyed after wwii so the centrality of sociology was displaced to north. Instinct theory: social darwinism: application of darwin to society. Key concept of darwinism is evolution (life forms have cells and have a system of reproduction and survival) In the absence of god, first theory to use science to explain life forms and the phenomenon of change: lamarack theory satisfying needs = repeated use = acquired characteristics. Social darwinists explain that society is an expression of human instincts: selfish (self-need) vs. social instincts (empathy, normal (conformity) vs. pathological (criminogenic) Darwin"s theory led to lombroso: atavism criminals are reversions of savage ancestors. Negative eugenics sterilizing those with criminal characteristics/ the unfit. Positive eugenics allowing healthy, intelligent people to reproduce.