For the purposes of answering this question I will turn to Anthony Giddens (1982) to define sociology.... "Sociology is concerned with the study of human societies....a society is a cluster, or a system of institutionalised modes of conduct....sociology has as its main focus the study of institutions of the advanced or the industrialised societies and of the conditions of transformation of those institutions".

An understanding of modernity is also needed. Modernity is a phase in human history in which it is believed that humans can use scientific knowledge to ensure progress, it is a new experience. To Seidler and many other writers enlightenment thinking is the foundation of modernity. (Haralambous and Holborn 1996)

The idea of society is a relatively new concept, in Webers

feudalist society pre industrial revolution the understanding of the small dwellings were territorial, self-sufficient units. The road to modernity is said to have been a slow and tedious journey, perhaps beginning in the twelfth century, however, there has been more than one change in history over time so a date cannot be given. It has been argued by Marx that the beginning of market towns saw the major step towards an intellectual society and citizens became more civilised but at the same time dependant upon one another. The eighteenth century enlightenment period previously had not only created an environment in which a new science could be developed due to the value of progress being advertised, but also religious discourses as a means of explaining the natural world were replaced by science and rational thought. Examples of rational thought are shown in Calvinists where their religion meant that your last domain or destination after life was already established before birth. Worshippers sort signs as to where their final destination would be, money, health, and prosperity and would work, work, work reinvesting the profits. This work ethic prompted rational thinking and oversaw capitalism and modernity. The people of the enlightenment were the first people outside the church to spend their life in pursuit of important knowledge and new scientific facts, critical enquiry replaced religious discourses allowing for a redefinition of what was classed as socially important knowledge, there was now more th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Northern Europe, Haralambous Holborn, Anthony Giddens, , modern society, modern day, eighteenth century, pre industrial, sociology modernity, religious discourses, product modernity, sociological research, modern world, people society,
Approximate Word count = 1025
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)