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Search - The Sociology Of Lester F. Ward

The Sociology Of Lester F Ward
Author: Clement Wood

The Substance of THE SOCIOLOGY OF LESTER R WARD Summarized by CLEMENT WOOD NEW YORK THE VANGUARD PRESS PREFACE AMONG all American writers there can be no doubt that Lester F. Ward has produced the most impressive and comprehensive system of sociology. Mr, Ward was also the earliest important American sociologist. His Dynamic Sociology, which man... more »y critics consider his magnum opus, appeared in 1883, about midway between the publication of the first and last volumes of Spencers Principles of Sociology. In addition to many articles in periodicals, Wards sociological system was embodied in six considerable volumes. Whatever may be the esti mate of the future regarding the place of Ward in the history of sociology, it is certain that no other writer has approached the subject with a body of scientific knowledge which at all approximated that possessed by Ward. Herbert Spencers Synthetic Philosophy un doubtedly displays more profound reasoning powers and a greater talent for the logical marshalling of evidence, but his scientific knowledge was not at all comparable to that possessed by Ward. Wards formal scientific career was passed as a government expert in paleobotany, to which he made contributions only second in impor tance to his work in sociology. 1 Wards predilection for introducing his botanical terminology into his sociology often gives the latter as strange and technical a tone as is to be found in the writings of the extreme Organ-1 His academic career was limited to lectures at several university sum mer school sessions and six years 1906-1913 as processor of sociology at Brown University. vi PREFACE icists. Some of his scientific terms, however, such as sympodial development synergy creative syn thesis 5 gynaecocracy, and social telesis, are rather felicitous and have been quite generally absorbed into conventional sociological thought and expression. An extended or comprehensive exposition of Wards sociological system within, the scope of the present introduction is manifestly impossible. Attention will be confined to a few of his cardinal contributions. As to the subject-matter of sociology, Ward says My thesis is that the subject-matter of sociology is human achievement. It is not what men are but what they do. It is not the structure but the function. l As nearly all of the earlier sociologists had been concerned almost wholly with an analysis of social structure, Wards point of approach was novel and epoch-making in its sig nificance. The divisions of sociology are two pure and applied. Pure sociology is theoretical and seeks to estab lish the principles of the science. Applied sociology is practical and points out the applications of the science. Specifically, it deals with the artificial means of accel erating the spontaneous process of nature. 2 In his exposition of the principle of social purpose, Ward lays down the fundamental proposition that energy must be controlled if evolution is to result. There are two possible methods of control the unconscious control of nature manifested in growth, and the con scious direction by mind, involved in purpose. The conscious method of control by mind is manifestly superior to the unconscious control of nature. Nature is wasteful in providing an immense mass of raw material and leaving it to be improved very slowly 1 Pure Sociology, p. IS. Pure Sociology, pp. 3, 431. PREFACE vii through natural selection. The tendency of mind is to economize through foresight and the adjustment of means to ends. This control of the dynamic forces of nature and society through the adjustment of means to ends is what Ward designates as telesis. In this process of conscious or purposeful control of the social forces, the development of jtjie state was the most im portant step ever taken by man or society...

ISBN-13: 9781406770612
ISBN-10: 1406770612
Publication Date: 3/15/2007
Pages: 196
Rating:

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Publisher: Barton Press
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
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