DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIOLOGY 811 



Thus as to society in general all agree that it is (1) a product of 

 physical and psychical forces, (2) working in an evolutionary pro- 

 cess, in which (3) at first predominantly instinctive activities later 

 yield in some measure to (4) reflective and purposeful policies. 

 This view regards society as (5) organic in the general, not specific, 

 sense of the term. As to the social group as a type of common 

 mental life it is further agreed (1) that individuals in their very 

 personal growth unconsciously incorporate the standard of their 

 group, by which they are, furthermore, (2) coerced into conscious 

 conformity. The uniforming influence of imitation and group 

 ascendency is counteracted by (3) leaders or authorities who ini- 

 tiate new ideas and activities to be selected and appropriated by 

 all. Between such leaders with their followers (4) a struggle for 

 ascendency ensues. This results ultimately in (5) a relatively per- 

 manent body of customs and institutions imbedded in feeling; 

 i. e., group tradition or character. When the members of the group 

 are aware of common ideals and purposes (6) a social conscious- 

 ness is developed. 



If the tests of a science be formulation of laws and power to 

 predict, sociology is not far advanced on the road to a scientific 

 status. Such laws as have been put into definite form are too often 

 either somewhat axiomatic or platitudinous, or are philosophical 

 rather than strictly scientific. Nevertheless, especially in the field 

 of social psychology, more successful results have been achieved. 

 Principles closely approaching in insight and accuracy the un- 

 questioned laws of economics have been enunciated, and promise 

 of progress in this direction is not wanting. 1 As to prediction, 

 which is conditioned on the formulation of principles, naturally 

 the sociologist is even more cautious than the economist about 

 foretelling a result in a given concrete case. Certainly the point 

 has not been reached when the sociologist is justified in dogmatiz- 

 ing on the basis of his scientific principles. 



In this rapid survey of the growth of sociology certain tenden- 

 cies stand out in fairly distinct outline : 



Sociology began by being a social philosophy, a philosophy of 

 history, 2 and such it has been until very recently. To put social 

 philosophy into the language of a natural science is not to make 

 it a science. But as a philosophy it has rendered important serv- 

 ice. It has preserved the unity of social theory a unity con- 

 stantly menaced by the specialization which has abstracted dif- 

 ferent groups of phenomena. It has afforded a point of view by 

 which all the social sciences have been consciously or unconsciously 

 influenced. 



1 Cf. Ross, Recent Tendencies in Sociology, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 

 August, 1902. 



1 Earth, loc. cit., pp. 10-13. 



