By definition, science is the intellectual and practical activity involving the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment (Oxford dictionary). This crude definition is further elaborated by the world-renowned sociologist Anthony Giddens as “the scientific study of human social life, groups and societies”. It is a dazzling and compelling undertaking, since its subject is our behavior as social beings. The scope of sociological study is extremely broad, ranging from the analysis of temporary encounters between individuals on the street to the investigation of global social processes such as the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.' (Giddens: 2006) Before the advent of modern science, most people believed that gods or spirits were the cause of natural events such as earthquakes. That's why we humans have always been curious about the origins of our behavior, but for centuries our attempts to understand ourselves have been based on ways of thinking passed down from generation to generation, often expressed in religious terms. Although writers from previous periods provided insights into human behavior and society, the systematic study of society is a relatively new development, dating back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. A key development was the use of science instead of religion to understand the world. (Giddens: 2006) Although writers from earlier periods have provided insights into human behavior and society, the systematic study of society is a relatively recent development, all beginnings dating back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. A key development it was the use of science instead of religion to understand the world. (Giddens: 2006)...... half of the document... epts constitute the very object of the study of sociology. Consequently, it must be admitted that we are limited by the impossibility of experimenting, which means that scientific methods are not applicable to the entire study of sociology. Works Cited Giddens, A. (2006) Sociology 5th ed. Cambridge: Polity Press.Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology 4th ed. Cambridge: Polity Press.Comte, A. (1855) The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte. New York: Calvin Blanchard.Dumbliauskas, V. (1999) Sociologija: Mokymo priemone. Vilnius: Vilniaus pedagoginis universitetas.Sharma, KR (2008) Sociological methods and techniques. India: Nice Printing Press.Kuhn. T (1962) The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Heywood, A. (2007) Politics 3rd ed. Hampshire: Palgrave MacmillanOxford Dictionary (2008) USA: Oxford University Press