Western Civilization II / Unit 12 WC2 1110 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Durkheim, Weber, Ranke: The Social Sciences Founded
Captions available
The idea
Beside the pseudo-science, real social science took shape. Durkheim read Christianity as ritual regulating behavior; Weber studied governments, religions and education; together they founded sociology. Ranke founded academic history on documents. All hoped for laws as certain as geology's, which made them hard to tell from the frauds.
In practice
Sociology and scientific history, both born here.
Where people slip
Anchor-only; no witness names them.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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