Herbert Spencer: The Sociology domain

 INDIVIDUAL

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 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

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GROUP

"In man we see the highest manifestation of this tendency. By virtue of his complexity of structure, he is furthest removed from the inorganic world in which there is least individuality. Again, his intelligence and adaptability commonly enable him to maintain life to old age - to complete the cycle of his existence; that is, to fill out the limits of his individuality to the full. Again, he is self-conscious; that is, he recognizes his own individuality." p.238.

"Spencer's key concept was 'evolution', by which he meant the process of increasing differentiation (that is to say specialization of functions) and integration (by which he meant mutual interdependence of the structurally differentiated parts and co-ordination of their functions.)" p.8. "Here we see longitudinal and transverse integration going on simultaneously; ..." p.66.

"Having invented the word sociology, Comte is often treated as the founder of the study itself, although his contribution to empirical knowledge is meagre, and cannot be even remotely equated with that of Montesquieu or John Millar. His excellence lies in methodology in which field he laid the foundations for the systematic (or scientific, if you like) study of society." p.15.

"There is no sudden leap from the house-hold type to the factory-type, but a gradual transition. The first step is shown us in the rules of trade-guilds under which, to the members of the family, might be added an apprentice (possibly at first a relation), who, as Brentano says, 'became a member of the family of his master, who instructed him in his trade, and who, like a father, had to watch over his morals, as well as his work'; practically, an adopted son. ... With  development of this modified household-group, the master grew into a seller of goods made, not by his own family only, but by others; and, as his business enlarged, necessarily ceased to be a worker, and became wholly a distributor - a channel through which went out the products, not as a few sons, but of many unrelated artisans." pp.135-136.

Herbert Spencer, Stanislav Andreski, (1971) Herbert Spencer : structure, function, and evolution. London: Nelson.

As you can tell - I'm still sorting through books!

See also (recently):
Medical sociology ... "food for thought" c/o POHG