Lester Ward’s Contributions to American Sociology

Lester Frank guard was a man of science. Sometimes dubbed as the Father of American Sociology or the cordial Darwin Lester protect was first a botanist and paleontologist. He understood the place of science. hospital ward wrote fighting(a) Sociology and a few other puddles with the hopes to mend the importance of experimentation and the scientific system to sociology. He served as prexy of the American Sociological Society in 1906 and appointed assistant geologist of the U. S. geological Survey, a position he held for two years.Born to Justus and Silence on June 18, 1941, preteen Lester came from very humble beginnings. His parents were very poor and could not commit to send him to school. So, harbor taught himself at home. Even at a young age, screen displayed exceptional intelligence. He taught himself how to speak various languages, Latin and classic to name a few. His studies withal included mathematics, botany, and geology. Although, he was not at the intellectu al level as Comte or Voltaire, he made umteen contributions to all things social and founded sociology in America.He went on to join the scramble against the Rebels in 1862. He was sent home subsequently the Battle of Chancellorsville after being shot three times. While healing from his wounds, he also saw the reality of war which is legalized murder. He realized that the real oppositeness was ignorance, superstition, and oppression. In college, he felt that if he was a recognized for his work in the natural sciences, then nearly would listen to him in the theatre of operations of sociology. He deald that the natural sciences should be the base for social sciences.Wards style of writing was known to be brilliant and crystal clear. virtuoso major(ip) power think this stems from his uncanny talent for language. His writings are bare(a) and comprehensible, which is a breath of fresh air for a reader who might not comprehend wordy and difficult styles of writing. Dynamic Sociol ogy is one of Wards well known works. The reception at first was not that grand and Ward almost gave up on sociology to focus his energies on botany and geology. It eventually was praised by one of Wards toughest critics, Albion W.Small. When Dynamic Sociology was translated into Russian, it caused such a stir in the Russian government that the tzar ordered all copies to be burned in the city hearty of St. Petersburg in 1891. This is what George Kennan had to say about the book burning I dupe a bun in the oven tried in my humble way to serve the cause of improperness in Russia, but I have not been able to do it with ability enough to get my writings burned. You are evidently a very dangerous man (Chugerman, 66). Pure Sociology is Wards most popular work.The transition in Wards views of order of magnitude from realistic to an almost completely cultural view is evident in this work. It got spout reviews overseas but, America was a bit cold towards it. Ward had many a(prenominal ) minor contributions to sociology, but there are three major contributions that have endure throughout the years. First was the emphasis which Ward placed upon psychic factors in interhuman relations (Chugerman, 3). Ward believed that human intelligence could guide and moderate wishes, desires, and feelings. Only the human mind can understand a society in which humans live.A good example would be happiness. In Dynamic Sociology, Ward explains that happiness in the popular restricted sniff out is the experiencing of the higher emotional pleasures afforded by the gratification of social, esthetic, moral, and intellectual taste(Gerver, 7). Wards second contribution for the sociologist of today was his emphasis upon human work as the proper subject matter for sociology (Chugerman, 3). He did not believe that any species below man was capable of human achievement. This is proof of his different viewpoint previously mentioned.His view of human society was mainly naturalistic, even s o here one sees the change to a cultural view. Ward believed that desires and purposes were the buttocks of culture that came about by accident at first, but could be morphed into intelligent social purposes. He also states that sociology is the science of that culture. His third major contribution to sociology is his passionate affirmation of the possibility of intelligent social bestride (Chugerman, 3). He firmly believed in and pushed for the build upment of sociology as a science. He believed education was the safest method in which to develop intelligent social progress.Wards definition of social progress is the increase of happiness of homo (Chugerman, 4). Even then, some found this definition insufficient, yet it cant be denied that Ward built a strong foundation for sociology with his school of thought. Telesis is the hypothesis that through the power of mind, humans can take control of the stain and direct the evolution of human society. A telic society will develop individuals and therefore society as a whole. The higher the individual is develop, the more(prenominal) develop society will be. Progress depends on the achievements. Like Comte, Ward suggested that sociology should use the cientific method of the natural sciences. Wards constructed his synthetic method from Comtes idea of synthesis and believed that science has no problems that cannot be solved.The internality of the synthetic method is the law of causality, the magnetic pole which keeps the mind deep down the bounds of reason (Chugerman, 100). To ignore this means to go back to metaphysics, where anything is doable and things happen without a cause. Wards philosophical system as the delight in of wisdom is the ideal behind his sociocracy. Science keeps the philosopher grounded and not to fly despatch into mistaken the supernatural for reality. Science alone is the base of all philosophy (Chugerman, 94). Ward also believed that philosophy is a branch of the scientific metho d. From philosophy as synthesis rises science-philosophy. Science and philosophy go hand in hand and Ward believed that lone(prenominal) a scientist can become a true philosopher (Chugerman, 95). Ward became an advocate for womens rights. Most sociologists disagreed with his theory that women were A-one to men. Ward questioned how the mother of race came to be at such an low state and what forces has shaped them.He stated that male superiority was a fallacy and a result of tradition and prejudice (Chugerman, 380). Wards sex theories were opposed by both sexes and had a small following. cardinal female write, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, dedicated her work, The Man-Made World, to Ward. Ward was a champion for the equation of all races and classes. He believed that this could only be achieved through universal education. He fervently opposed eugenics, the study and practice of selective breeding employ to humans, with the aim of improving the species.Charlotte Gillman strongly agree d with this movement and Ward raspingly criticized her for it. Lester Ward passed away in the year 1913 at age 72. Ward was an eccentric man and had few friends. The few eulogies given by his friends remembered a man who fought relentlessly for human freedom and equality. Sadly, the majority of the public only saw him as an old professor. Only those closest to him put him in the same rank as Comte or Huxley. His love for the common battalion and hard work secures his place in 20th century America.