Discuss the different aspects of the terms 'society'. How is it different from your common sense understanding.

Meaning of Society : Society is a group of people who share a common culture, occupy a particular territorial area and feel themselves a unified and distinct entity. In short we can define society as, 'Society is a web of relationships.

Different aspects of society: The following five view points may be noted on conceptualization of the term society :

(i) Society is a structure. In other words it is a recognizable by network of interrelating institutions.

(ii) Society keeps itself alive by process of reproduction of its members in their own forms.

(iii) Society always shows its contradictions. For example a capitalistic society always shows conradictions through m ode of production.

(iv) Every society has its own culture. Cultures of several societies inter—change or exchange their norms, traditions, values with the passage of time and advancement of science and technology. This process may be quick or slow.

(v) Society is always in processes. Its member continuously Interact with one another.

How is society different from our common sense understanding ?

(i) Society is different from common sense understanding. The common sense explanations are generally based on what may be called naturalistic and / or individualistic explanation. A naturalistic explantation for behaviour rests

on the assumption that one can really identify 'natural' reasons for behaviour.

(ii) Common sense or knowledge does not always or even generally lead to spectacular results. But meaningful and unsuspected connections can be reached only by shifting through masses of connections. Great advances in sociological knowledge have been made, generally incrementally and only rarely by a dymatic breakthrough.

(iii) Sociology cannot be substitued by common sense. Common sense is unreflective since it does not questions its own origins. Or in other words it does not ask it-self. Why do I hold this view ? The Sociologist must be ready to ask of any of our beliefs, about our-selves–no matter how cherished- “is this really so ?”

(iv) Both the systematic and questioning approach of sociology is derived from a broader tradition of scientific form a broader tradition of scientific investigation. This emphasis on scientific procedures can be undersitood only if we go back in time. And understand the context or social situation within which the sociological perspective emerged as sociology was greatly influenced by the great development in modern science.