In recent years, the field of sociology has been undergoing a theoretical and methodological upheaval. While some sociologists have favored the scientific and theoretical approach of a purely academic science, other sociologists prefer to view their profession as a responsive, flexible science that can offer solutions to the many urgent, pressing social problems at hand. George Ritzer, in this book, has successfully brought together the many divergent views in a comprehensible manner. He explores the range and wealth of ideas that characterize the present state of sociology, offering new paradigms in place of scientism, and exploring future trends – suggesting the coexistence of multiple paradigms in support of one another. This innovative paradigm approach is a thorough definition of the science of sociology in terms of its diverse social phenomena, rather than a definition of the social phenomena in terms of the science. CONTENTS 1. The Paradigmatic Status of sociology 2. The Social Facts Paradigm 3. The Social Definition Paradigm 4. The Social Behavior Paradigm 5. Paradigmatic differences in Sociology: An Assessment