Week 2 – Assignment Aspects of Social Understanding [WLOs: 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, review the Week 1 and Week 2 textbook readings: Chapters 1 through 4 and Chapter 12, perform your own research, and watch the following videos: How do we know what is true? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. How do we know what we know? Audi (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. How do we know what we know? Sullivan (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Knowledge vs thinking – Neil deGrasse Tyson (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

An important aspect of public sociology is gaining an understanding of our social world and coming to informed conclusions based on what we know. Social problems can often occur due to a clash of difference in social understanding, and so sociologists can gain considerable value in understanding the nuances of different perspectives. These perspectives can also change over time as society evolves and individuals develop. The importance of this assignment is to acknowledge that there are varied forms of knowing that form our perspectives in society and presenting how these varied forms of knowing have impacts and value. This assignment is a “thought-piece” that requires you to academically support your ideas, as a presentation of your own developing and evolving social understanding.

In your paper, include the following components:

Elements of Social Understanding (1-2 pages) Explain the concept of “epistemology” or “how we know what we know.” Discuss the following elements of social understanding: evidence, theory, value, and beliefs.

Acquisition of Social Understanding (1-2 pages) Explain the concept of “reflexivity” in social understanding. Discuss how humans can gain each element of social understanding or how elements are formed. Defend the importance each element of social understanding has on human knowledge.

Value to Society (1-2 pages) Summarize how the elements of social understanding work together. Justify the potential impact if citizens in society do or do not embrace all elements of social understanding.