Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/461

 PURPOSE OF SOCIOLOGY 447

recognizes social movements, but pays little attention to the forces that cause these movements. One writer has expressly objected to the term dynamic, and proposed to substitute kinetic, as not connoting force. There is no objection to the use of the name Dynamic for the other school, as its distinguishing char- acteristic is the emphasis it places on the conception of forces in society, and it also recognizes conscious as well as uncon- scious social forces. The statico-kinetic school might also with considerable propriety be called the Spencerian school, since Mr. Spencer's sociology is marked by substantially the same characteristics, and the American writers are virtually disciples of Spencer. No one of the dynamic writers, however, would be willing to be called Comtean, because, although Comte treated of both social statics and social dynamics, and clearly differen- tiated them, still he can scarcely be said to have recognized social forces, and certainly never defined their nature.

The statico-kinetic or Spencerian school does not think the time has come to attempt to indicate what the effect of social science is likely to be. It treats it simply as a branch of any one's education, as explaining the facts, phenomena and laws of a certain field of knowledge, and trusts to the natural influ- ence that all knowledge necessarily has in sobering opinion and modifying action. In a word, it regards sociology as a pure science and deprecates all attempts to apply its principles. At least it impliedly denies the ability of sociologists, either as teachers or writers, to point out its applications either to students or readers, and would leave this wholly to practical men, whether in the business world or in politics.

The dynamic school, on the contrary, clearly perceiving the chaotic condition of both the industrial and the political world, and recognizing that most of the evils of society result from a lack of scientific knowledge on the part of the so-called prac- tical men, claims the right and feels the obligation to accom- pany the statement of facts and the definition of laws and principles with an indication of their significance and their nec- essary bearing upon social affairs and movements. It is only