Award Date

1-1-2001

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Sociology

First Committee Member

Kate Hausbeck

Number of Pages

97

Abstract

This thesis examines the usefulness of Complexity as a new tool for sociology. Complexity, as its own branch of study, developed from the new science of Chaos. Recent paradigmatic disputes occurring in the scientific community have been the force of a growing sense of change in the way many different disciplines view complex systems. Since it is evident that social systems are typically highly complex, it makes sense that a scientific paradigm, which investigates the nature of complex systems, should also be applicable to social systems. Science now argues that the old Newtonian clockwork mentalities and classical experimental models cannot adequately describe highly complex systems. Instead anti-reductionist and nonlinear theories and methods may be much better suited for the task. The sociological relevance of Complexity---both its conceptual framework and its methodologies---is important and timely as we reach the limits of our current knowledge using standard reductionist thinking and methods.

Keywords

Application; Complexity; Methodological; Sociology; Theoretical

Controlled Subject

Social sciences--Research

File Format

pdf

File Size

2406.4 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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Rights

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