160 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
In this rapid survey of the growth of sociology certain ten- dencies stand out in fairly distinct outline:
Sociology began by being a social philosophy, a philosophy of history, 53 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 impor- tant service. It has preserved the unity of social theory a unity constantly menaced by the specialization which has abstracted different groups of phenomena. It has afforded a point of view by which all the social sciences have been con- sciously or unconsciously influenced.
Of late sociology has given less heed to vague general con- sideration of society as a whole, and has come to closer quarters with certain phenomena of association especially those of social psychology. The struggle-group as molded by conflict has received attention. The mental unity and processes of the group have been studied. The theory as to the relation of the individual to society has been reviewed and radically modified. Environ- ment is thought of as exercising, not an immediate, but a complex and indirect, influence on society. Vague concepts of secular progress have yielded to a more careful study of the conditions and laws of order and change. Finally, sociology is seeking to add to its service as a philosophy the contributions of a science which shall formulate valid laws as to the universal principles that underlie the phenomena of association. 64
GEORGE E. VINCENT.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.
"EARTH, loc. cit., pp. 10-13.
- CALDWELL'S statement may be quoted here : " The sociology of today is
partly a philosophical theory, partly a science, and partly a gospel about the ten- dencies of what is called social evolution ; it is a theory oi the nature and development of the organization that is called society, of the manifestations in the actions of men of the principles of association." Loc. cit.
