Science vs Social Science: Understanding the Never Ending Debate
We often encounter this popular debate now, between two distinct yet interconnected domains- Science and Social Science, which is better, which is truer, and much more. We will try to understand both these distinct fields and the never-ending debate on this.
Both Science and Social Science give their own understanding of the world, and that too in their own way. Let us delve in depth regarding the same on the similarities and differences between the sciences and social sciences.
Science uses Data, Measurability, Research, and a structured method called the scientific method. The focus here is on making sense of the simple as well as complex things happening around the world. The experimentation method is used to make the studies more predictable and replicable. Lab testing, surveys, and experiments are done in controlled environments and used widely here to confirm the theories.
Formal Education in Science
Science education starts at a young age, but the in-depth studies start only from the pre-university level. At the college level, you can specialise in various branches and sub-branches. The content of teaching and syllabi remains largely constant and standardised around the world. Both theory, numericals, and practicals are equally taught and imparted.
BSc, Btech. MBBS, MSc, MD, Mtech, B.Arch, M.Arch, etc., are the degrees you can pursue in the sciences. B.Tech and MBBS are the ones that help you to take up jobs immediately after studies. If you are interested in being part of the research fraternity or a scientist, it is inevitable that one takes M-Phil and/or PhD/DSc. Having good field experience, patience, and the ability to work in laboratories is essential for a great career in the Sciences. Exams here focus on accuracy, objectivity, and correctness.
Given that Science talks about daily life, the observable universe, the use and control of technology, buildings, infrastructure, etc., it makes science more relatable and relevant to people to study. There are also more career opportunities related to science.
What is Social Science?
It is a structured study of human society, interactions, and behaviour. It focuses on human beings, interactions, institutions, social processes, politics, society, etc. Compared to the sciences, the scope of study is restricted to the human world. There are various branches under social sciences- Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, History, and Geography.
All the branches use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies for their studies. Surveys, case studies, interviews, discussions, content analysis, etc., are used to extract and analyse data. Compared to data, there is hardly any control over the experiments. Most of them are even ex-post facto studies.
Formal Education in Social Science
Social Science education informally starts the day we are born. Family, religion, school, government, etc., make their interaction with the subjects more familiar. In school, different branches of the social sciences, such as History, Political Science, Geography, and Economics, are taught separately. At the college level, the students are allowed to specialise in a single field, yet have an overview of all the fields.
BA, BSW, MA, and MSW are the degrees you can pursue in the social sciences. The teaching methods are largely lecture-based, yet there are debates, essay writing, paper presentation, case studies, etc. The objective here is not just to instill critical thinking, but also to provide multiple perspectives and academic exposure. Beyond giving jobs, the emphasis here is on providing you with a research path. It helps you later when you decide to pursue an MPhil or a PhD in the future. There are assessments that vary from presentations to essays to paper writing. The evaluation here is on argumentation, subjectivity, and analysis.
Most of the students in Social Sciences aim to be part of the government, the civil services, public policy, the research fraternity, academia, and much more. The career opportunities are plenty, but there are also challenges.
Convergences
Many people will try to claim that the sciences and social sciences are totally different and distinct themes, and those are opposite to each other, but that's not true. Most often, the problems that both try to solve remain common. Often, Social Sciences continued to remain an underrated field in a country like India.
The objectives and reasons for the existence of both domains remain the same- to make sense of the truth. They both try to explain the world by explaining the patterns, identifying the causes, and contributing to knowledge. Both of them use data to test and prove a hypothesis. Both use quantitative methodology but in distinct ways, and definitely more by the sciences than the social sciences.
For example, in an election, science shows that the community X votes for party Y, while you need the social sciences to explain the reasons for that.
Taking the example of a few topics such as Climate Change, Pandemic, Tech policy, etc., shows strong convergence of both fields. Applying scientific developments and benefits to society requires a policy that is provided by the people who are part of the policymaking. Science, on the flipside, provides tools and innovation. In the era of interdisciplinary studies, the synchronous use of both fields together and appropriately.
That said, even today, both domains continue to be highly Western-centric and are seen as universal and global, often ignoring local realities.
Divergences
As discussed earlier, both of them try to understand the world in their own ways. But there are massive differences. The sciences are universal, and the social sciences are contextual and very specific. Another major difference exists in objectivity and subjectivity. The sciences focus on tangible evidence, whereas the social sciences focus more on descriptions and explanations. The sciences use formulas, problem-solving techniques, and models, while social science uses discussions, surveys, debates, interpretation, etc.
The sciences claim to be value-neutral, while the social sciences see through the lenses of ideas, perspectives, thoughts, etc. Both are prone to biases, yet social sciences tend to have more of them. This is mainly because human beings tend to be more unpredictable, prone to biases, and affected by their surroundings. The sciences are seen as more value-neutral, while the social sciences have intrinsic value that keeps them apart. Scientific experiments are conducted using controlled methods, whereas it is impossible to control the environment and variables in the social sciences.
Interpretations are the ones that make social sciences interesting and lively; on the other hand, it is the same thing that makes them controversial. All of this doesn't mean sciences are fully value-neutral, too. Core topics such as abortion, life, evolution, climate change, the universe, etc., have always divided the scientific community. For example, elections, pandemics, etc., cannot ever be controlled. Social sciences do acknowledge this limitation and try to explain that human beings can never be neutral as long as they are part of society.
Even in terms of funding, companies and corporations invest more in science and technology, whereas social sciences tend to be ignored and underfunded. These divergences do not mean they are weak, it just show they convey different realities. Scientists receive more respect and acceptance in society compared to social scientists, who are hardly treated as authors, professors, or commentators.
Conclusion
The science vs social sciences debate will continue as long as humanity exists. We must not see it as a conflict, but rather a healthy discussion on convergences and divergences essential to enhance one's understanding of this world. Both sciences and social sciences are essential to understand various layers of this world. It is up to you to decide which is superior based on the context. We must use both of them to the best use because our objective is the same, only the path towards the objective differs.
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