The development of the sociology

 The early way of theoretical research brought out by Comte is to imitate the method of studying natural sciences and apply the same method to explore social phenomena. It emphasizes the solid foundation of sociology based on experience, demonstration and scientific method. This methodology is called positivism.

In the early 19th century, the positivism and naturalism approach to the study of social life was questioned by German neo-Comte philosophers such as Dilthey and Heinrich Ricker. They believe that the natural world is different from the social world, and that human society has unique categories such as meaning, symbols, rules, morals and values. These elements give rise to human culture. Later, Max Weber developed "Interpretive Sociology" based on this viewpoint, emphasizing that the object of sociology research is the subjective meaning of human behavior. It is closely related to anti-naturalism, which makes sociological studies particularly concerned with human and cultural values. This has led to disputes over the distinction between objective and subjective research and has affected interpretive research. The Internet age has also given birth to a new branch of sociology, public sociology.

Finally, the natural sciences did not actually replace other social sciences, but instead became another form of emphasis on objects and methods. Sociologists usually study human organizations and social institutions through the comparative method, especially in the study of complex industrial social organization structures. From the 20th century to the 21st century, the study of sociology should also be an era of rapid progress.