How does sociology differ from religion and reason as the basis for knowledge and understanding?

Question

How does sociology differ from religion and reason as the basis for knowledge and understanding?

Answer 1

Sociology is different from religion in the same ways as any science. Its methodology is based on empirical observation and an objective point of view. Beliefs and values, though studied by sociology, do not have influence on data collection and analysis (ideally). All contributions to the field go through an intense process of criticism via peer-review, which is where studies that are influenced by the researcher's ethnocentric belief system would be rejected.

On Day 1 of my theory class, we discussed that sociological theory is concerned with the way things really are. It's explanatory, not normative. This is a contrast with ethics and theology, which are normative systems that explain how things should be. In other words, the *questions* that sociology would have an answer to are very different than the questions that religion tries to answer.

I am interpreting that by "reason" you mean something along the lines of "common sense." I would argue that sociology differs from reason in that it does not involve any intuition or assumption. Usually I see the word "reason" in the context of rationalism, in which case it would be a part of sociological methodology and also opposite to religion

Answer 2

Sociology is the study of culture and the institutions that define a culture.

i see almost no similarity to religion, except that religion is ONE of the institutes that defines a culture.

Answer 3

Sociology is a tautologically the scientific study of socialization, so its basis is in reason.  Religion, as it pertains to socialization, is based on faith - which is the antithesis of reason.

Scientific sociological investigation and prescriptivism is reason-based.  Religious prescriptivism (there is no investigation/research stage in religion) is reason-averse.  Basically, they are opposites.

Answer 4

sociology is based on the past. religion is based on fiction.