The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-12
THE CRITICS CORNER.
WEEKLY CHAT REGARDING WRIT
ERy AyD BOOKS.
"Ths Theory If Sociology."-Its Provincs'
Problem and Enthusiastically Pub-
Iished Literary Breyities'

Political Science, Columbia College.
Published by the American Academy
OF Political and Social Science, Phii-
adelphia.
In this supplement to the annals OF
the American Academy" the first pro-
fessor occupying the first chair of Socio-
logy instituted in any American univer-
sity. lays down what he regards as the
first principles of that science-itS pro-
vince, problems and methods.
Naturally, in view of the near kinship
of Sociology to poittico-economics, uhe
writer IL FIRST concerned in showing no"
it is, of itself. a separate science, al
though, as yet, without adequate ADJUST
ment. Nor can this be set down as spec
iai pleading in the face of an increasing
cllmor TO define scientifically Just what
may be meant by a term which is each
day more used, abused, and brought into
false relations.
Professor Giddings, therefore, begins
with defining the sociological idea as
IAN attempt to account for the origin,
growth, structure, and activities of human
society by the operation Of physical,
vital, and psychicai causes working to-
Comte found the word and Herbert
Spencer the theorem, il is to the evolu-
ton school that we must look for our
first principle of socioiogy-i.e., n ply
steal explanation, modified by VOlttiona
processes.
In establishing "the province Of Socio-
lOgy," Professor Giddings is confronted
by the tendency OF each social philoSo-
pher to create this science in the image
Of his own professional speciality; ana
he further illustrates the vast divergence
of opinions concerning its value by citing
NJ. NJ. De Greet and Van der Rest, two
eminent educators in the University Of
Brussels-the former urging the establish
ment Of chairs and even faculties, or
Sociology-the latter characterizing II
as "a badly determined science that
presents no well defined line OF demar-
cation from the moral and political
sciences and that touches the most varied
questions. all OF which. nevertheless, are
comprised within the limits Of the studies
Of existing chairs That it is a distinct
science, grown from separate nucleus,
with problems differing from any other de-
partment Of Investigation. Professor Gid
dings maintains and his plea is for such
discriminating terms as will create order
from this confusion. ard bring Sociology
into shape as "a definite. concrete body
of knowledge. that can be presented in
the class room and worked over In the
seminarium'
But" he continues. that will only be
when educated men will learn 10 con-
ceive of Sociology as distinctly and con-
crct-ly as they conceive Of other sciences
the word must instantly call to mind
particular class of phenomena, and a
blems. .s'"s' Sociology is is not the
sum Of the social sciences. but the ground
work on which. they md common common
the organic sciences on the one hand
and political and historical sciences on
the other. Sociology rests on biology and
psychology" As Professor Burgess dis
tinguishes between the State as il Is
organized in the constitution, from the
Safe behind the constitution. or between
organized and natural society, so is
political sciences "PsycholOgy's direct
concern is with mental developments,
as such, whereas Sociology, on the con-
trary. is interested in the development
of mind as product of social activity.
50 much for Professor Giddings con-
ceptiOns of the province Of Sociology"
and il is worthy of such respect as
should be commanded by the foremost
scholar in the group Of American writer's
who have formed themselves into an
academy, and are rapidly coming into
prominence.
The remaining chapters treat certain
aspects from the standpoint assumed
in these first principles, but. as the writer
declares, merely contain the data for a
more comprehensive work. Until this IS
Forthcoming, the present supplement
NAV serve as a manual to the special
student, and an index to American
thought on these lines.
The final question as % the nature or
the phenomena grouped under this name
NAV be briefly given. II think says
Professor Gddings, that society Is more
than an Organism-something as much
higher and more complex as
an organism is higher than nom
moving matter. Society IS an
organization. partly product OF
unconscious evolution. partly a result
Of conscious planning-and complex Of
psychical relations Like
an organism, too, an organization may
have function, and society unmstak-
ably has one. 1t has developed conscious
life: il Is creating human personality,
and to that end IL now exists. II is
conscious association with his fellows
that develops mans moral nature. To
the exchange Of thoughts and feeling
all literature and philosophy. all religious
consciousness and public poity. are due
and ii Is the reaction OF literature and
philosophy OF worship and pOlity on the
mind of each new generation. that dcvel-
ops its type OF personality Accordingly.
we may say that the function of social
organizats which the sOcOlOgist must
Keep parsistentiy in view, is the evolution
Of personality, through ever higher stages
and broader ranges. into that wide in
cluson, ana 10 that high ideal quality
that we name humanity" D. II. IL.
DIR. JANET OF HARLEY STREET:
novel. BY Arabella Kenealy. ID.
Appleton Co. For sale by West,
Johnston az Co.
THE EBR TIDE: A TRIO AND QUAR-
TErrE. BY Robert Louis Stevenson
and Lloyd Oshourne. Stone * Kimhall.