in this tutorial we will seek to examine the issue of whether sociology is a science a highly requested topic the arguments presented will make the case for sociology as in science let's begin don't tend to find this question difficult to answer to answer this question you must consider whether sociology can be studied in the same way as the Natural Sciences let's define sociology in the most basic sense sociology is the study of human society how is the study of human society conducted is it through the use of systematic objective methods of research or is it through the search for the subjective meanings human beings attached to their behavior human beings are social creatures this is a social fact however sociologists are divided in terms of how human society should be studied proponents of the scientific study of human society are known as positivism and they believe that human behavior can be observed scientifically why it is believed that scientific methods of research helps to establish laws or patterns of behavior therefore if scientific methods of research are applied to the study of human society then laws of human behavior can be formulated which can then be used to explain how human society function this is the rationale behind using scientific methods in sociological research let's first take a brief look at the original theorists who ascribed to scientific methodology and their rationale for doing so Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim Auguste Comte developed the positivist theory between the years 1830 to 42 he believed that the best way to understand an improved human society was to develop a positive science of society using natural science methods of Investigation and analysis Emile Durkheim argued to be the founder of the discipline of sociology believed that social facts exist in human society and these social facts can be discovered through scientific experiments and observation both comped and the kind believed that sociology is a science and it needed to be such in their quest to discover the absolute truth of natural laws that govern human society this quest for the universal laws of human society came at a time when philosophers were moving away from the superstitious beliefs of them middle ages and seeking for a more rational explanation of human action and natural phenomenon however not all sociologists agree that a positivist method lead to the discovery of absolute truth how popper believes that whilst sociology can be scientific only we saw if it methodically follows the procedures of science it will not lead it to absolute truth although sociology can apply scientific methods of research the results yielded will not necessarily lead to the discovery of universal laws of behavior other positivist such as heat and Yuri come to Papa argument by highlighting but there are many overlaps between the natural sciences and sociology Lynch further makes a case for sociology as a science by concluding from research that scientists make assumptions when they are ambiguities in their results therefore according to Lynch sociology can be a science when it uses scientific methods of research and the fact of making assumptions during the course of sociological analysis is also scientific Kuhn assets that scientific research is not engaged in the objective stage of knowledge rather their knowledge is located within a framework of paradigms or perspectives this is very much similar to sociology sociology has a series of competing perspectives which seek to explain social life consequently to kun sociology is a science to summarize positivist see little difference between natural science research and sociological investigations both have competing perspectives and make assumptions when they are ambiguities to conclude one we argue that it is difficult to state with absolute certainty that the use of scientific methods in the study of human society will give us accurate information further not all aspects of human society can be studied through the use of scientific methods is sociology a science the answer depends on the perspective and values of the sociologists answering this question in this tutorial we have outlined arguments which asset that sociology is a science