Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/734

 714 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

The Meaning of Ethnology for Sociology i. Province and problems of soci- ology. It is impossible to give a complete definition of sociology yet. Such a defini- tion must have for its foundation the widest and most abstract generalizations from the material with which we deal. However, there is need of a preliminary defini- tion of the science with reference to the more closely related social sciences. Two preliminary considerations should be kept in mind. There is a close relationship of the phenomena treated by political economy and sociology, and a disadvantage has followed by dividing the more abstract principles between the two when the abstract side should have been given over to sociology and used by political economy rather as a method. Again, the historical school of political economy has complicated the problem of the division of labor by incorporating factors which clearly belong to soci- ology. Instead of recognizing political economy as a division of the more general science of sociology, the representatives of the historical school attempt to expand political economy into a sociology.

I may define sociology as the theory of social phenomena considered from the most general point of view. Its province would include the theory of the composi- tion, forms, functions and the devolopment and abnormalities of human associations. The problems of sociology cannot be taken over by any other science, and their solution is urgently desired from both the theoretical and the practical side.

Six of the chief problems of sociology are as follows : First, the relation of the science to biology and psychology must be better worked out. Man as a social unit must be better known both somatically and psychically. One of its chief interests should be the construction of a theory of the races of men and of the anthropological types. The second problem is the clearing away of the unscientific illusions and con- structions, such as the fundamentally false conception of the real equality of all men and their unlimited educability, with the survival of the contrat social, and much other rubbish. From the positive side, there must be the creation of a purely empirical foundation for all further sociological study. The third, and most difficult, whose ful- filment is far off, is the working out more completely of the hitherto neglected prov- inces indicated above. Fourth, a synthesis of all the separate social investigations. Fifth, the searching for the most general laws or regularities in societary life. Sixth, a systematic presentation of the preceding problems.

2. The meaning of ethnology apart from the theory of evolution. We are con- cerned here only with the sociology of the primitive peoples. I want to remove the preconceived opinion that such a study is of interest chiefly because, according to the evolutionary theory, the primitive peoples give a living repetition of our own early history. If this were not the case at all, they would still be entitled to our most thorough study, merely because they are people, because they form societies of living beings, of men. Sociology is interested in all forms of human association, but here is a very large number of such associations, fairly well described, related in various ways, in all stages of development, though in the most different directions, and living in very unlike situations.

Many of the younger sociological students seem to be lacking in the real scientific interest of desiring to know and explain all the phenomena belonging to their field of work. They seem to regard the study of the primitive peoples as unworthy of their energies. We do not know yet the relations of the various forms and functions of these societies, and how they condition each other. There is a rich and fruitful field here for the sociologist. It is far away from the prejudices of today's complex questions and gives an excellent opportunity for the formation and working out of unprejudiced hypotheses.

3. The analogy between our early ancestors and the primitive people of today. The evolutionary theory is doubtless true. The ancestors of the present civilized peoples, and of the civilized and half-civilized that have passed away, were once uncivi- lized. Guizot has pointed out the analogy between the early Germans and the Iroquois Indians. Mallery has shown the similarity in customs and beliefs of the North American Indians and the Israelites. Our folklore is a living reality among the present primitive peoples. The work of Post, Kohler, and Dareste shows that the development of law and legal institutions has not been different in principle for the primitive and civilized peoples. The unavoidable conclusion is that we can learn much about our past from the life of the present primitive peoples, and, owing to the