Social sciences emerged when the need arose for the scientific study of human behavior and the functioning of public institutions. This explanation underlies the analysis of the main spheres of society, such as culture, social interaction, problems of social inequality, social institutions, as well as economic and political systems (Colander & Hunt, 2015). This review aims at discussing whether the social sciences can help to evaluate the history, current realities, and future trends.
Social sciences are valuable to the study of human behavior and organization. Since they aim at clarifying human behavioral realities, they can improve humanity’s condition. According to Demers, people have made impressive advances in technology, the ability to create things, fight disease, compute, and communicate (Demers, 2011). However, social and political problems are the most significant and urgent, and sociological research can help to solve them. Unfortunately, not all programs work, but social sciences try to change the world (Demers, 2011). They provide information about existing problems and encourage people to suggest possible solutions. Thinkers are not always right, but they come up with particular answers, and some of them become successful.
One of the most obvious problems remains war, which is becoming obsolete. The fact that there has not been a war between the leading powers since 1945, partly reflects a deeper understanding of the problems leading to it, and social sciences have contributed to this (Colander & Hunt, 2015). On the other hand, people do not always behave rationally but act based on old myths. Even if social sciences do not help to eradicate wars, they can provide insight into the origins of war and the foundations of human conflict.
The object of sociology is humanity and the social reality that surrounds people. Therefore, social science research aims to identify problems and injustices in the human experience so that people can solve them. It is valuable for the understanding of human behavior and motives. It can help to realize the reasons for wars and other undesirable events and try to cope with them.
References
Demers, D. (2011). The Ivory Tower of Babel: Why the social sciences have failed to live up to their promises. Algora Publishing.
Colander, D. C. & Hunt, E. F. (2015). Social science: An introduction to the study of society (15ed.). Routledge.