What gives stability and predictability to the development of society. Society as a complex dynamic system

Initially, being just a collection of information and empirical observations about the game of dice, the theory of probability became a thorough science. The first to give it a mathematical framework were Fermat and Pascal.

From thinking about the eternal to the theory of probability

The two individuals to whom probability theory owes many of its fundamental formulas, Blaise Pascal and Thomas Bayes, are known as deeply religious people, the latter being a Presbyterian minister. Apparently, the desire of these two scientists to prove the fallacy of the opinion about a certain Fortune giving good luck to her favorites gave impetus to research in this area. After all, in fact, any gambling game with its winnings and losses is just a symphony of mathematical principles.

Thanks to the passion of the Chevalier de Mere, who was equally a gambler and a man not indifferent to science, Pascal was forced to find a way to calculate probability. De Mere was interested in the following question: “How many times do you need to throw two dice in pairs so that the probability of getting 12 points exceeds 50%?” The second question, which was of great interest to the gentleman: “How to divide the bet between the participants in the unfinished game?” Of course, Pascal successfully answered both questions of de Mere, who became the unwitting initiator of the development of probability theory. It is interesting that the person of de Mere remained known in this area, and not in literature.

Previously, no mathematician had ever attempted to calculate the probabilities of events, since it was believed that this was only a guessing solution. Blaise Pascal gave the first definition of the probability of an event and showed that it is a specific figure that can be justified mathematically. Probability theory has become the basis for statistics and is widely used in modern science.

What is randomness

If we consider a test that can be repeated an infinite number of times, then we can define a random event. This is one of the likely outcomes of the experiment.

Experience is the implementation of specific actions under constant conditions.

To be able to work with the results of the experiment, events are usually designated by the letters A, B, C, D, E...

Probability of a random event

In order to begin the mathematical part of probability, it is necessary to define all its components.

The probability of an event is a numerical measure of the possibility of some event (A or B) occurring as a result of an experience. The probability is denoted as P(A) or P(B).

In probability theory they distinguish:

reliable the event is guaranteed to occur as a result of the experience P(Ω) = 1;
impossible the event can never happen P(Ø) = 0;
random an event lies between reliable and impossible, that is, the probability of its occurrence is possible, but not guaranteed (the probability of a random event is always within the range 0≤Р(А)≤ 1).

Relationships between events

Both one and the sum of events A+B are considered, when the event is counted when at least one of the components, A or B, or both, A and B, is fulfilled.

In relation to each other, events can be:

Equally possible.
Compatible.
Incompatible.
Opposite (mutually exclusive).
Dependent.

If two events can happen with equal probability, then they equally possible.

If the occurrence of event A does not reduce to zero the probability of the occurrence of event B, then they compatible.

If events A and B never occur simultaneously in the same experience, then they are called incompatible. Tossing a coin is a good example: the appearance of heads is automatically the non-appearance of heads.

The probability for the sum of such incompatible events consists of the sum of the probabilities of each of the events:

P(A+B)=P(A)+P(B)

If the occurrence of one event makes the occurrence of another impossible, then they are called opposite. Then one of them is designated as A, and the other - Ā (read as “not A”). The occurrence of event A means that Ā did not happen. These two events form a complete group with a sum of probabilities equal to 1.

Dependent events have mutual influence, decreasing or increasing the probability of each other.

Relationships between events. Examples

Using examples it is much easier to understand the principles of probability theory and combinations of events.

The experiment that will be carried out consists of taking balls out of a box, and the result of each experiment is an elementary outcome.

An event is one of the possible outcomes of an experiment - a red ball, a blue ball, a ball with number six, etc.

Test No. 1. There are 6 balls involved, three of which are blue with odd numbers on them, and the other three are red with even numbers.

Test No. 2. There are 6 blue balls with numbers from one to six.

Based on this example, we can name combinations:

Reliable event. In Spanish No. 2 the event “get the blue ball” is reliable, since the probability of its occurrence is equal to 1, since all the balls are blue and there can be no miss. Whereas the event “get the ball with the number 1” is random.
Impossible event. In Spanish No. 1 with blue and red balls, the event “getting the purple ball” is impossible, since the probability of its occurrence is 0.
Equally possible events. In Spanish No. 1, the events “get the ball with the number 2” and “get the ball with the number 3” are equally possible, and the events “get the ball with an even number” and “get the ball with the number 2” have different probabilities.
Compatible Events. Getting a six twice in a row while throwing a die is a compatible event.
Incompatible events. In the same Spanish No. 1, the events “get a red ball” and “get a ball with an odd number” cannot be combined in the same experience.
Opposite events. The most striking example of this is coin tossing, where drawing heads is equivalent to not drawing tails, and the sum of their probabilities is always 1 (full group).
Dependent Events. So, in Spanish No. 1, you can set the goal of drawing the red ball twice in a row. Whether or not it is retrieved the first time affects the likelihood of being retrieved the second time.

It can be seen that the first event significantly affects the probability of the second (40% and 60%).

Event probability formula

The transition from fortune-telling to precise data occurs through the translation of the topic into a mathematical plane. That is, judgments about a random event such as “high probability” or “minimal probability” can be translated into specific numerical data. It is already permissible to evaluate, compare and enter such material into more complex calculations.

From a calculation point of view, determining the probability of an event is the ratio of the number of elementary positive outcomes to the number of all possible outcomes of experience regarding a specific event. Probability is denoted by P(A), where P stands for the word “probabilite”, which is translated from French as “probability”.

So, the formula for the probability of an event is:

Where m is the number of favorable outcomes for event A, n is the sum of all outcomes possible for this experience. In this case, the probability of an event always lies between 0 and 1:

0 ≤ P(A)≤ 1.

Calculation of the probability of an event. Example

Let's take Spanish. No. 1 with balls, which was described earlier: 3 blue balls with the numbers 1/3/5 and 3 red balls with the numbers 2/4/6.

Based on this test, several different problems can be considered:

A - red ball falling out. There are 3 red balls, and there are 6 options in total. This is the simplest example in which the probability of an event is P(A)=3/6=0.5.
B - rolling an even number. There are 3 even numbers (2,4,6), and the total number of possible numerical options is 6. The probability of this event is P(B)=3/6=0.5.
C - the occurrence of a number greater than 2. There are 4 such options (3,4,5,6) out of a total number of possible outcomes of 6. The probability of event C is equal to P(C)=4/6=0.67.

As can be seen from the calculations, event C has a higher probability, since the number of probable positive outcomes is higher than in A and B.

Incompatible events

Such events cannot appear simultaneously in the same experience. As in Spanish No. 1 it is impossible to get a blue and a red ball at the same time. That is, you can get either a blue or a red ball. In the same way, an even and an odd number cannot appear in a dice at the same time.

The probability of two events is considered as the probability of their sum or product. The sum of such events A+B is considered to be an event that consists of the occurrence of event A or B, and the product of them AB is the occurrence of both. For example, the appearance of two sixes at once on the faces of two dice in one throw.

The sum of several events is an event that presupposes the occurrence of at least one of them. The production of several events is the joint occurrence of them all.

In probability theory, as a rule, the use of the conjunction “and” denotes a sum, and the conjunction “or” - multiplication. Formulas with examples will help you understand the logic of addition and multiplication in probability theory.

Probability of the sum of incompatible events

If the probability of incompatible events is considered, then the probability of the sum of events is equal to the addition of their probabilities:

P(A+B)=P(A)+P(B)

For example: let's calculate the probability that in Spanish. No. 1 with blue and red balls, a number between 1 and 4 will appear. We will calculate not in one action, but by the sum of the probabilities of the elementary components. So, in such an experiment there are only 6 balls or 6 of all possible outcomes. The numbers that satisfy the condition are 2 and 3. The probability of getting the number 2 is 1/6, the probability of getting the number 3 is also 1/6. The probability of getting a number between 1 and 4 is:

The probability of the sum of incompatible events of a complete group is 1.

So, if in an experiment with a cube we add up the probabilities of all numbers appearing, the result will be one.

This is also true for opposite events, for example in the experiment with a coin, where one side is the event A, and the other is the opposite event Ā, as is known,

P(A) + P(Ā) = 1

Probability of incompatible events occurring

Probability multiplication is used when considering the occurrence of two or more incompatible events in one observation. The probability that events A and B will appear in it simultaneously is equal to the product of their probabilities, or:

P(A*B)=P(A)*P(B)

For example, the probability that in Spanish No. 1, as a result of two attempts, a blue ball will appear twice, equal to

That is, the probability of an event occurring when, as a result of two attempts to extract balls, only blue balls are extracted is 25%. It is very easy to do practical experiments on this problem and see if this is actually the case.

Joint events

Events are considered joint when the occurrence of one of them can coincide with the occurrence of another. Despite the fact that they are joint, the probability of independent events is considered. For example, throwing two dice can give a result when the number 6 appears on both of them. Although the events coincided and appeared at the same time, they are independent of each other - only one six could fall out, the second die has no influence on it.

The probability of joint events is considered as the probability of their sum.

Probability of the sum of joint events. Example

The probability of the sum of events A and B, which are joint in relation to each other, is equal to the sum of the probabilities of the event minus the probability of their occurrence (that is, their joint occurrence):

R joint (A+B)=P(A)+P(B)- P(AB)

Let's assume that the probability of hitting the target with one shot is 0.4. Then event A is hitting the target in the first attempt, B - in the second. These events are joint, since it is possible that you can hit the target with both the first and second shots. But events are not dependent. What is the probability of the event of hitting the target with two shots (at least with one)? According to the formula:

0,4+0,4-0,4*0,4=0,64

The answer to the question is: “The probability of hitting the target with two shots is 64%.”

This formula for the probability of an event can also be applied to incompatible events, where the probability of the joint occurrence of an event P(AB) = 0. This means that the probability of the sum of incompatible events can be considered a special case of the proposed formula.

Geometry of probability for clarity

Interestingly, the probability of the sum of joint events can be represented as two areas A and B, which intersect with each other. As can be seen from the picture, the area of their union is equal to the total area minus the area of their intersection. This geometric explanation makes the seemingly illogical formula more understandable. Note that geometric solutions are not uncommon in probability theory.

Determining the probability of the sum of many (more than two) joint events is quite cumbersome. To calculate it, you need to use the formulas that are provided for these cases.

Dependent Events

Events are called dependent if the occurrence of one (A) of them affects the probability of the occurrence of another (B). Moreover, the influence of both the occurrence of event A and its non-occurrence is taken into account. Although events are called dependent by definition, only one of them is dependent (B). Ordinary probability was denoted as P(B) or the probability of independent events. In the case of dependent events, a new concept is introduced - conditional probability P A (B), which is the probability of a dependent event B, subject to the occurrence of event A (hypothesis), on which it depends.

But event A is also random, so it also has a probability that needs and can be taken into account in the calculations performed. The following example will show how to work with dependent events and a hypothesis.

An example of calculating the probability of dependent events

A good example for calculating dependent events would be a standard deck of cards.

Using a deck of 36 cards as an example, let’s look at dependent events. We need to determine the probability that the second card drawn from the deck will be of diamonds if the first card drawn is:

Bubnovaya.
A different color.

Obviously, the probability of the second event B depends on the first A. So, if the first option is true, that there is 1 card (35) and 1 diamond (8) less in the deck, the probability of event B:

R A (B) =8/35=0.23

If the second option is true, then the deck has 35 cards, and the full number of diamonds (9) is still retained, then the probability of the following event B:

R A (B) =9/35=0.26.

It can be seen that if event A is conditioned on the fact that the first card is a diamond, then the probability of event B decreases, and vice versa.

Multiplying dependent events

Guided by the previous chapter, we accept the first event (A) as a fact, but in essence, it is of a random nature. The probability of this event, namely drawing a diamond from a deck of cards, is equal to:

P(A) = 9/36=1/4

Since the theory does not exist on its own, but is intended to serve for practical purposes, it is fair to note that what is most often needed is the probability of producing dependent events.

According to the theorem on the product of probabilities of dependent events, the probability of occurrence of jointly dependent events A and B is equal to the probability of one event A, multiplied by the conditional probability of event B (dependent on A):

P(AB) = P(A) *P A(B)

Then, in the deck example, the probability of drawing two cards with the suit of diamonds is:

9/36*8/35=0.0571, or 5.7%

And the probability of extracting not diamonds first, and then diamonds, is equal to:

27/36*9/35=0.19, or 19%

It can be seen that the probability of event B occurring is greater provided that the first card drawn is of a suit other than diamonds. This result is quite logical and understandable.

Total probability of an event

When a problem with conditional probabilities becomes multifaceted, it cannot be calculated using conventional methods. When there are more than two hypotheses, namely A1, A2,…, A n, ..forms a complete group of events provided:

P(A i)>0, i=1,2,…
A i ∩ A j =Ø,i≠j.
Σ k A k =Ω.

So, the formula for the total probability for event B with a complete group of random events A1, A2,..., A n is equal to:

A look into the future

The probability of a random event is extremely necessary in many areas of science: econometrics, statistics, physics, etc. Since some processes cannot be described deterministically, since they themselves are probabilistic in nature, special working methods are required. The theory of event probability can be used in any technological field as a way to determine the possibility of an error or malfunction.

We can say that by recognizing probability, we in some way take a theoretical step into the future, looking at it through the prism of formulas.

Are there random events in our Universe or is everything predetermined? Are all the coincidences in our lives an accident or a pattern? I suggest you try to figure out these questions. Let me make a reservation right away that the article does not pretend to be scientific and is just an attempt to comprehend reality using mathematical tools. For those interested, read on.

If we consider the Universe as a nonlinear dynamic system, the state of which at time t can be described by many occurring events, and assume the presence of cause-and-effect relationships between the events of time t and the events of time t-1 (in other words, the presence of a relationship between the current and previous states system), then we will be forced to come to the conclusion that some event (or many simultaneous events, which in essence can be considered as a single event that determines the initial state of the system) served as the beginning and cause of existence. As a consequence, it gave rise to many other events, each of which has many subsequent ones, and so on until the current moment.

Thus, the Universe can be represented as a system of nonlinear differential equations. The greater the number of parameters taken into account, the greater the number of equations it will contain and the closer such a mathematical model will be to the real one. That is, by increasing the number of parameters and equations of the system to infinity, we obtain a complete mathematical model of the Universe. Even simple nonlinear dynamic systems with three parameters exhibit very complex behavior that is practically indistinguishable from random behavior. One can imagine how a system with a number of parameters tending to infinity will behave.

Wikipedia defines randomness as the manifestation of external unstable connections in reality, the manifestation of the result of the intersection (coincidence) of independent processes or events. In contrast, necessity is defined as a characteristic of a phenomenon that is uniquely defined by a certain area of reality, predictable within the framework of knowledge about it. I think the term is not well chosen, so I will use predestination instead.

Now we can try to understand the question of the existence of random processes and events in our Universe. A process is nothing more than a sequence of events, so we will call a random process a sequence of random events (or a random sequence of events, the essence does not change from this). But, as can be seen from the above definition, randomness is possible only in the presence of independent processes or events, and this contradicts our model, in which all events and processes are interdependent. Interdependence is due to the initial state of the system, since in nonlinear dynamic systems even a small change in the initial state leads to unpredictable behavior of the system as a whole and each of the parameters separately. Therefore, it is not possible to change only one of the parameters without affecting the others, therefore all subsequent states of the system depend on the previous ones. Thus, we come to the conclusion that it is impossible for independent events to exist in our model. And this means that there is no chance in it. But what exists? The system consists of a huge number of nonlinear elements, each of which has freedom of choice and, with a certain probability, has a positive or negative impact on the system (in other words, it contributes to the growth of either entropy or negentropy). Thus, we can only talk about the probability of a particular event based on the chain of previous cause-and-effect relationships. And hello quantum physics and thermodynamics.

Why was all this written? This text is an attempt to understand life experience in the light of existing scientific theories. And experience, as well as the above reasoning, lead to the conclusion that nothing happens in life by chance. And to believe in His Majesty’s chance is as absurd as to worship stone idols.

Well, to finish this very lengthy discussion, let’s consider the following situation with an illustrative example. Everyone knows the number Pi. It is calculated according to clear and defined rules, which means the sequence of decimal digits in it cannot be considered random. But what is the probability that the next calculated decimal digit in this sequence is 9? What is the probability that you will choose 9 out of ten numbers offered? What is the probability that you will guess the next digit of Pi? If anyone is interested, they can try to find the answers to these questions on their own, because I don’t have them.

Thank you for your attention.

Lesson No. 2-3

Social studies, 10

Structure of society.

Society as a dynamic system

D.Z.: § 2, ??, tasks (p. 27)

Ed. A.I. Kolmakov

LESSON OBJECTIVES

introduce the main components of society as a social system;
characterize the main social institutions;
identify the main features of a social institution

Learning new material

General concept of the system. Characteristic features of society as a system. Main spheres of public life. Social institutions.
General concept of the system.
Characteristic features of society as a system.
Main spheres of public life.
Social institutions.

UPDATED PROBLEM

Is there a connection between various events and phenomena in the life of society?
What gives stability and predictability to the development of society?

General concept of the system.

The term "system" refers to

complex objects and mechanical , And

biological and social. All of them

include heterogeneous elements.

All these elements, parts of the system are interconnected, interact together. The system functions only thanks to this interaction.
Properties systems do not belong to its individual parts, but only to the system as a whole.

Characteristic features of society as a system

The complex nature of the social system: many levels, subsystems of elements
Society as a system includes elements of different quality - material (classes) and ideal (good people)
Man is included in each of the social systems
Society is characterized by dynamism, incompleteness, and alternative development, because a person sets goals...
Integrative quality of the system as a whole: the ability to create conditions for its existence
The social system is self-governing, self-sufficient
The environment of the society of a certain country as a system is nature, the world community
Main functions of the social system: adaptation, goal achievement, maintaining a model, integration

Society is a dynamic self-developing system, because

worldview,

social values,

labor processes,

economic and political objectives,

religious and moral attitudes

created by people themselves
develop over the course of history
may differ from each other in different historical eras

Main spheres of public life (subsystem).

Economic sphere (basis) – regulates issues of property production, distribution and consumption of material and spiritual goods. Includes:

Human relations to the means of production (to own, use, dispose of)
The place of man in the system of social production (relations of domination or subordination)
The method and amount of obtaining a share of public wealth.
The nature of activity in the production system (mental, physical, management...)

Political sphere – the managerial superstructure of society, which includes

politics
state
right

and their relationship and functioning.

Main spheres of public life (subsystems).

Social sphere - a certain way of interaction between people occupying a certain status and performing their roles in accordance with the norms and values accepted in a given social system.

Structural formations:

classes
social strata
nation

in their relationship and

interaction.

Main areas social life (subsystem).

Cultural or spiritual sphere – reflects various forms and levels of social consciousness, which, being embodied in the real life of society, form what is commonly called spiritual culture.

Grounds for delimiting spheres of public life - basic human needs

Basic human needs

Main spheres of public life

Material needs
Needs for contacts and communication
Need for organization, peace, law and order
The need for self-realization, for increasing goodness, for moral improvement

Economic
Social
Political
Spiritual

Sociologists identify five such public needs:

the need for reproduction;
need for security and social order;
need for subsistence;
the need for knowledge acquisition, socialization of the younger generation, personnel training;
the need to solve spiritual problems of the meaning of life.

What is the relationship between the main spheres of public life?
What are the priorities?

… Before engaging in science, art, politics, etc., a person must eat, drink and have a home...

Economy

Policy

Social

relationship

Spiritual

life

A person’s thoughts, ideas, ideas precede his practical activities... Social changes are preceded by changes in people’s consciousness.

Spiritual

Policy

Economy

Social

relationship

Compromise approach Each sphere of social life can become decisive in different periods of social life.

Economy

Spiritual

Social

relationship

Policy

Social institutions

Social institutions –

these are public entities

institutions,
norms,
cultural patterns
ways of behavior

serving to organize and regulate relationships between people.

Social institutions

institution of family and marriage;
political institutions, especially the state;
economic institutions, primarily production;
institutes of education, science and culture;
Institute of Religion.

Social institutions

The need for reproduction

Family and household activities

Institute of Family and Marriage,

kinship institutions

Social institutions

Need for security and social order

Political, managerial, government activities

Political institutions (state, parties...)

Social institutions

Need for subsistence

Economic activity

Economic institutions

(property, division of labor,

wages...)

Social institutions

Need for knowledge

socialization, personnel training

Scientific, educational,

educational activities

Institutes of Science,

education and culture

Social institutions

Need for solutions to spiritual

problems of the meaning of life

Religious activities

Institute of Religion

Social Institute

arises on the basis of the joint activities of large masses of people
activities are aimed at meeting the fundamental needs of society
represents sustainable forms of organizing such activities
have developed historically and are regulated by norms, traditions, and customs.

Functions of a social institution hidden, obvious

Organize human activity into a certain system of roles and statuses
Includes a sanctions system
Organize and coordinate actions
Provide standard behavior

Practical conclusions

Society is a highly complex system, and in order to live in harmony with it, it is necessary to adapt (adapt) to it. Otherwise, you cannot avoid conflicts and failures in your life and activities. A condition for adaptation to modern society is knowledge about it, which is provided by a social studies course.
It is possible to understand society only if its quality is identified as an integral system. To do this, it is necessary to consider various sections of the structure of society (the main spheres of human activity, a set of social institutions, social groups), systematizing, integrating connections between them, and features of the management process in a self-governing social system.

Practical conclusions

In real life, you will have to interact with various social institutions. To make this interaction successful, you need to know the goals and nature of the activity that has taken shape in the social institution that interests you. Studying the legal norms governing this type of activity will help you with this.
In subsequent sections of the course, characterizing individual areas of human activity, it is useful to revisit the content of this paragraph in order, based on it, to consider each area as part of an integral system. This will help to understand the role and place of each sphere, each social institution in the development of society.

Control questions

What does the term “system” mean?
How do social (public) systems differ from natural ones?
What is the main quality of society as an integral system?
What are the connections and relationships of society as a system with the environment?
What is a social institution?
Describe the main social institutions.
What are the main features of a social institution?
What is the significance of institutionalization?

Fate is a way of psychological protection. This is a kind of abstract, untestable concept, created so that with its help you can smooth out any tragic events, write off any of your mistakes and failures, and thereby protect yourself from depression and suicidal thoughts. I got behind the wheel drunk and crashed the car - damn, fate decreed it that way, that’s the way it should be, everything is for the better. I got very sick because I went out into the cold and smoked - it was fate, so be it. I lost a loved one because I didn’t appreciate him - it was fate that took him away from me, which means he was not my person.

Any event entails a chain of other events, and those events entail the next, and so on. And a person derives either benefit or harm from these events. The illusion is created that this happened on purpose to bring benefit or harm to a person depending on his merits.

If from the point of view of cause and effect, then your fate is actually collapsed into one event. This is the moment of union of sperm and egg, namely, the combination of genes resulting from this fusion. Probably, only this is NOT predetermined by any external reasons, but it determines wholly and completely who and what you will be.

Everything else is the chain of events in which you find yourself in the form of an organism and are in constant interaction with the outside world. At some point, you seem to be integrated into this chain, similar to how one jumps onto a moving train.

Although it is possible that WHICH sperm will reach its goal, this is also an absolutely random event, and, apparently, is also part of your destiny. But this moment can be safely combined with the moment of creating a combination of genes.

That is, the conclusion is that your destiny is only how you turned out in a physiological sense. Everything else is a butterfly effect.

BUT, in fact, to argue from the point of view of the cause-and-effect relationship of ALL events is nothing more than a purely theoretical exercise, since no one is capable of tracking the chain of events on a scale beyond eight to ten steps, including super computers, etc. Moreover, the chain of events is always events that happened in the past to which we do not have access without advance preparation (pre-established tracking). But in order to prepare in advance for events that are about to happen, we need to have access to the future, which we also do not have. Therefore, PSS, this is nothing more than an abstract entity, the same as, for example, infinity, with which it is just as impossible to work practically.

It is more profitable for a person to think that everything depends on himself and his actions. This gives such a valuable feeling of freedom and motivates for many achievements.

If we approach strictly from the point of view of formal logic, then there is something whose existence has been proven. The burden of proof lies with the one who puts forward the thesis. In this case, as I understand it, the thesis has been put forward: “The development of human life follows a certain plan called “fate”,” that is, we are not discussing the existence of the word “fate,” which is obvious. The plan can be pre-developed, known, unknown, divine, etc. - epithets are not important in this case. Has anyone proven this thesis in any version? Obviously not, otherwise we would probably know about it. Evidence to refute this thesis is not required, since “negative evidence” is, in principle, a logical error. Although in a number of cases you can find arguments that contradict the thesis, and one of these is below. But such arguments still cannot refute the thesis as a whole.
From the point of view of cause-and-effect relationships, it is generally impossible to judge, since they either exist or not: PSS can only be considered in relation to specific events and facts, and those that occurred with a certain difference in time. But it is not possible to find a connection between absolutely all events: for example, the position of a snowflake in Antarctica has nothing to do with my sneeze today.
Purely theoretically, as some believe, knowing absolutely everything, it is possible with some theoretical supercomputer (or divine mind) to calculate future events (or they have already been calculated by the deity). Does it follow from this that fate still exists? We cannot verify this in any way, and it is impossible to prove this conclusion, at least for now. In addition, quantum mechanics opposes this: today it has been practically proven that many events in the microworld are probabilistic in nature, that is, contrary to Einstein’s opinion, God does play with dice. This means that “to know everything” is actually even theoretically impossible.
From a biological point of view, our behavior can be determined genetically, and even, what is worse for us, by microorganisms living in us. They can, for example, the rabies virus provokes aggression in the infected person for the sake of procreation. Perhaps other parasites act more subtly. But the actions of parasites and symbiotic organisms are also largely probabilistic in nature.
Modern psychology shows (and practice too) that people are capable of simply changing radically and thus influencing their destiny. There are exercises and training that help you adjust your behavior and even your character in general, which also does not fit with the presence of destiny. And basic non-neglect of safety precautions dramatically increases your chances of survival.
So I would conclude this. It is impossible to deny the influence of certain genetic, biological, geographical and other factors on human life, but it is also impossible to talk about the complete conditionality of human life, that is, the presence of “fate”. In many ways, our lives are in our hands.

Library
materials

State the topic and purpose of the lesson.

Intensification of educational activities.

Is there a connection between various events and phenomena in the life of society? What gives stability and predictability to the development of society?

Presentation of program material.

A story with elements of conversation

Features of the social system

In other words, society is a complex system of systems, a kind of supersystem.

Secondly, characteristic feature society as a system is the presence in its composition of elements of different quality, both material (various technical devices, institutions, etc.) and ideal (values, ideas, traditions, etc.). For example, the economic sphere includes enterprises, vehicles, raw materials, manufactured goods and, at the same time, economic knowledge, rules, values, patterns of economic behavior and much more.

Third, main element society as a system is a person who has the ability to set goals and choose means of carrying out his activities. This makes social systems more changeable and mobile than natural ones.

Social life is in constant change. The pace and extent of these changes may vary; There are periods in the history of mankind when the established order of life did not change in its fundamentals for centuries, but over time the pace of change began to increase.

Hence, Human - it is a universal element of all social systems, since it is necessarily included in each of them.

Like any system, society is an ordered entity. This means that the components of the system are not in chaotic disorder, but, on the contrary, occupy a certain position within the system and are connected in a certain way with other components. Therefore, the system has integrative quality that is inherent in it as a whole. None of the system components, considered separately, possesses this quality. It, this quality, is the result of the integration and interconnection of all components of the system. Just as individual human organs (heart, stomach, liver, etc.) do not have the properties of a person, the economy, health care system, state and other elements of society do not have the qualities that are inherent in society as a whole. And only thanks to the diverse connections that exist between the components of the social system, it turns into a single whole, that is, into society (just as a single human body exists thanks to the interaction of various human organs).

Integral, i.e. general, inherent in the entire system, qualities of any system are not a simple sum of the qualities of its components, but represent new quality, resulting from the interconnection and interaction of its constituent components. In its most general form, this is the quality of society as a social system - ability create all the necessary conditions for its existence, to produce everything necessary for the collective life of people. In philosophy self-sufficiency considered as main difference society from its constituent parts. Just as human organs cannot exist outside the whole organism, so none of the subsystems of society can exist outside the whole - society as a system.

Another feature of society as a system is that this system is one of the self-governing. The managerial function is performed by the political subsystem, which gives consistency to all components that form the social integrity.

Any system, be it technical (a unit with an automatic control system), or biological (animal), or social (society), is located in a certain environment with which it interacts. Wednesday The social system of any country is both nature and the world community. Changes in the state of the natural environment, events in the world community, in the international arena are a kind of “signals” to which society must respond. It usually seeks to either adapt to changes occurring in the environment or adapt the environment to its needs. In other words, the system reacts to “signals” in one way or another. At the same time, it implements its main functions: adaptation; goal achievement, that is, the ability to maintain its integrity, ensuring the implementation of its tasks, influencing the surrounding natural and social environment; maintaining the sample – the ability to maintain one’s internal structure; integration– the ability to integrate, that is, to include new parts, new social formations (phenomena, processes, etc.) into a single whole.

Social institutions

The word "institute" translated from Latin institute means "establishment". In Russian it is often used to refer to higher educational institutions. In addition, as you know from the basic school course, in the field of law the word “institution” means a set of legal norms governing one social relationship or several relationships related to each other (for example, the institution of marriage).

In sociology social institutions call historically established stable forms of organizing joint activities, regulated by norms, traditions, customs and aimed at meeting the fundamental needs of society.

We will consider this definition, which it is advisable to return to after reading the entire educational material on this issue, based on the concept of “activity” (see §1). In the history of society, sustainable types of activities have developed aimed at satisfying the most important needs of life. Sociologists identify five such public needs:

the need for reproduction;

need for security and social order;

need for subsistence;

the need for knowledge acquisition, socialization of the younger generation, personnel training;

the need to solve spiritual problems of the meaning of life.

institution of family and marriage;

political institutions, especially the state;

economic institutions, primarily production;

institutes of education, science and culture;

Institute of Religion.

Each of these institutions unites large masses of people to satisfy one or another need and achieve a certain goal of a personal, group or social nature.

The emergence of social institutions led to consolidation specific types of interaction, making them permanent and mandatory for all members of a given society.

So, a social institution is, first of all, a set of persons engaged in a certain type of activity and ensuring, in the process of this activity, the satisfaction of a certain need that is significant for society (for example, all employees of the education system).

Next, the institute enshrined in a system of legal and moral norms, traditions and customs, regulating appropriate types of behavior. (Remember, for example, what social norms regulate the behavior of people in the family).

Another characteristic feature of a social institution is presence of institutions, equipped with certain material resources necessary for any type of activity. (Think about what social institutions the school, factory, and police belong to. Give your own examples of institutions and organizations that belong to each of the most important social institutions.)

As new needs and conditions arise in the course of the historical process, new types of activities and corresponding connections appear. Society is interested in giving them orderliness and a normative character, i.e. in their institutionalization.

Practical conclusions.

Society is a highly complex system, and in order to live in harmony with it, it is necessary to adapt (adapt) to it. Otherwise, you cannot avoid conflicts and failures in your life and activities. A condition for adaptation to modern society is knowledge about it, which is provided by a social studies course.

It is possible to understand society only if its quality is identified as an integral system. To do this, it is necessary to consider various sections of the structure of society (the main spheres of human activity, a set of social institutions, social groups), systematizing, integrating connections between them, and features of the management process in a self-governing social system.

In real life, you will have to interact with various social institutions. To make this interaction successful, you need to know the goals and nature of the activity that has taken shape in the social institution that interests you. Studying the legal norms governing this type of activity will help you with this.

In subsequent sections of the course, characterizing individual areas of human activity, it is useful to revisit the content of this paragraph in order, based on it, to consider each area as part of an integral system. This will help to understand the role and place of each sphere, each social institution in the development of society.

From the work of a modern American sociologist E. Shilza"Society and societies: a macrosociological approach."

...So, we are convinced that society is not just a collection of united people, primordial and cultural groups interacting and exchanging services with each other. All these groups form society by virtue of their existence under general power which exercises control over territory marked by borders, supports and enforces more or less general culture. It is these factors that transform a collection of relatively specialized initial corporate and cultural collectives into a society.

Questions and tasks for the document

What components, according to E. Shils, are included in society? Indicate which areas of society each of them belongs to.

Select from the listed components those that are social institutions.

What does the term “system” mean?

How do social (public) systems differ from natural ones?

What is the main quality of society as an integral system?

What are the connections and relationships of society as a system with the environment?

What is a social institution?

Describe the main social institutions.

What are the main features of a social institution?

What is the significance of institutionalization?

Using a systematic approach, analyze Russian society at the beginning of the 20th century.

Describe all the main features of a social institution using the example of an educational institution. Use the material and recommendations from the practical conclusions of this paragraph.

The collective work of Russian sociologists says: “...society exists and functions in diverse forms... The really important question comes down to ensuring that society itself is not lost behind the special forms, the forests behind the trees.” How does this statement relate to the understanding of society as a system? Give reasons for your answer.

V. S. Solovyov (1853-1900), Russian philosopher

Evaluating student responses.

Find material for any lesson,
indicating your subject (category), class, textbook and topic:

You can also select the type of material:

Brief description of the document:

Social studies lesson on the topic “Society as a complex dynamic system”

Goal: 1.to get acquainted with the main components of society as a social system

2.characterize the main social institutions

3. identify the main features of a social institution.

I. Statement of the topic and purpose of the lesson.

II. Intensification of educational activities.

Is there a connection between various events and phenomena in the life of society? What gives stability and predictability to the development of society?

III. Presentation of program material.

A story with elements of conversation

The second part of the definition of the concept of “society” given in §1 emphasizes the idea of the interconnection of people and the interaction of various spheres of public life. In philosophical literature, society is defined as a “dynamic system”. The new concept of “system” may seem complicated, but it makes sense to understand it, since there are many objects in the world that are covered by this concept. Our Universe, the culture of an individual people, and the activities of man himself are systems. The word “system” is of Greek origin and means “a whole made up of parts”, “a totality”. Thus, each system includes interacting parts: subsystems and elements. The connections and relationships between its parts become of primary importance. Dynamic systems allow various changes, development, the emergence of new parts and the death of old parts and connections between them.

Features of the social system

What are the characteristic features of society as a system? How does this system differ from natural systems? A number of such differences have been identified in the social sciences.

Firstly, society as a system is complex, since it includes many levels, subsystems, and elements. Thus, we can talk about human society on a global scale, about society within one country, about various social groups in which each person is included (nation, class, family, etc.).

The macrostructure of society as a system consists of four subsystems, which are the main spheres of human activity - material and production, social, political, spiritual. Each of these spheres known to you has its own complex structure and is itself a complex system. Thus, the political sphere acts as a system that includes a large number of components - the state, parties, etc. But the state, for example, is also a system with many components.

Thus, any of the existing spheres of society, being a subsystem in relation to society, at the same time itself acts as a rather complex system. Therefore, we can talk about a hierarchy of systems consisting of a number of different levels.

In other words, society is a complex system of systems, a kind of supersystem.

Secondly, a characteristic feature of society as a system is the presence in its composition of elements of different quality, both material (various technical devices, institutions, etc.) and ideal (values, ideas, traditions, etc.). For example, the economic sphere includes enterprises, vehicles, raw materials, manufactured goods and, at the same time, economic knowledge, rules, values, patterns of economic behavior and much more.

Thirdly, the main element of society as a system is a person who has the ability to set goals and choose the means of carrying out his activities. This makes social systems more changeable and mobile than natural ones.

Social life is in constant change. The pace and extent of these changes may vary; There are periods in the history of mankind when the established order of life did not change in its fundamentals for centuries, but over time the pace of change began to increase.

From your history course, you know that in societies that existed in different eras, certain qualitative changes occurred, while the natural systems of those periods did not undergo significant changes. This fact indicates that society is a dynamic system that has a property that in science is expressed by the concepts of “change”, “development”, “progress”, “regression”, “evolution”, “revolution”, etc.

Consequently, man is a universal element of all social systems, since he is necessarily included in each of them.

Like any system, society is an ordered entity. This means that the components of the system are not in chaotic disorder, but, on the contrary, occupy a certain position within the system and are connected in a certain way with other components. Consequently, the system has an integrative quality that is inherent in it as a single whole. None of the system components, considered separately, possesses this quality. It, this quality, is the result of the integration and interconnection of all components of the system. Just as individual human organs (heart, stomach, liver, etc.) do not have the properties of a person, the economy, health care system, state and other elements of society do not have the qualities that are inherent in society as a whole. And only thanks to the diverse connections that exist between the components of the social system, it turns into a single whole, that is, into society (just as a single human body exists thanks to the interaction of various human organs).

The connections between subsystems and elements of society can be illustrated with various examples. The study of the distant past of mankind allowed scientists to conclude that the moral relations of people in primitive conditions were built on collectivist principles, that is, in modern terms, priority was always given to the collective rather than to the individual. It is also known that the moral norms that existed among many tribes in those archaic times allowed the killing of weak members of the clan - sick children, old people - and even cannibalism. Have these ideas and views of people about the limits of what is morally permissible been influenced by the real material conditions of their existence? The answer is clear: undoubtedly, they did. The need to collectively obtain material wealth, the doom of a person separated from his clan to quick death, laid the foundations of collectivist morality. Guided by the same methods of struggle for existence and survival, people did not consider it immoral to free themselves from those who could become a burden to the collective.

Another example could be the connection between legal norms and socio-economic relations. Let us turn to known historical facts. One of the first sets of laws of Kievan Rus, called Russkaya Pravda, provided for various punishments for murder. In this case, the measure of punishment was determined primarily by a person’s place in the system of hierarchical relations, his belonging to one or another social stratum or group. Thus, the fine for killing a tiun (steward) was enormous: it was 80 hryvnia and equal to the cost of 80 oxen or 400 rams. The life of a serf or serf was valued at 5 hryvnia, i.e. 16 times cheaper.

Integral, i.e., common, inherent in the entire system, qualities of any system are not a simple sum of the qualities of its components, but represent a new quality that arose as a result of the interconnection and interaction of its components. In its most general form, this is the quality of society as a social system - the ability to create all the necessary conditions for its existence, to produce everything necessary for the collective life of people. In philosophy, self-sufficiency is considered as the main difference between society and its constituent parts. Just as human organs cannot exist outside the whole organism, so none of the subsystems of society can exist outside the whole - society as a system.

Another feature of society as a system is that this system is self-governing. The managerial function is performed by the political subsystem, which gives consistency to all components that form the social integrity.

Any system, be it technical (a unit with an automatic control system), or biological (animal), or social (society), is located in a certain environment with which it interacts. The environment of the social system of any country is both nature and the world community. Changes in the state of the natural environment, events in the world community, in the international arena are a kind of “signals” to which society must respond. It usually seeks to either adapt to changes occurring in the environment or adapt the environment to its needs. In other words, the system reacts to “signals” in one way or another. At the same time, it implements its main functions: adaptation; goal achievement, i.e. the ability to maintain its integrity, ensuring the implementation of its tasks, influencing the surrounding natural and social environment; maintaining a pattern - the ability to maintain one’s internal structure; integration - the ability to integrate, that is, to include new parts, new social formations (phenomena, processes, etc.) into a single whole.

Social institutions

The most important component of society as a system are social institutions.

The word “institute” comes from the Latin instituto meaning “establishment”. In Russian it is often used to refer to higher educational institutions. In addition, as you know from the basic school course, in the field of law the word “institution” means a set of legal norms governing one social relationship or several relationships related to each other (for example, the institution of marriage).

In sociology, social institutions are historically established stable forms of organizing joint activities, regulated by norms, traditions, customs and aimed at meeting the fundamental needs of society.

− the need for reproduction;

− need for security and social order;

− need for means of subsistence;

− the need for acquiring knowledge, socializing the younger generation, and training;

− the need to solve spiritual problems of the meaning of life.

In accordance with the above-mentioned needs, types of activities have developed in society, which, in turn, required the necessary organization, streamlining, the creation of certain institutions and other structures, and the development of rules to ensure the achievement of the expected result. These conditions for the successful implementation of the main types of activities were met by historically established social institutions:

− institution of family and marriage;

− political institutions, especially the state;

− economic institutions, primarily production;

− institutes of education, science and culture;

− Institute of Religion.

Each of these institutions brings together large masses of people to satisfy one or another need and achieve a certain goal of a personal, group or social nature.

The emergence of social institutions led to the consolidation of specific types of interaction, making them permanent and mandatory for all members of a given society.

So, a social institution is, first of all, a set of persons engaged in a certain type of activity and ensuring, in the process of this activity, the satisfaction of a certain need that is significant for society (for example, all employees of the education system).

Further, the institution is enshrined in a system of legal and moral norms, traditions and customs regulating the corresponding types of behavior. (Remember, for example, what social norms regulate the behavior of people in the family).

Another characteristic feature of a social institution is the presence of institutions equipped with certain material resources necessary for any type of activity. (Think about what social institutions the school, factory, and police belong to. Give your own examples of institutions and organizations that belong to each of the most important social institutions.)

Any of these institutions is integrated into the socio-political, legal, value structure of society, which makes it possible to legitimize the activities of this institution and exercise control over it.

A social institution stabilizes social relations and brings consistency into the actions of members of society. A social institution is characterized by a clear delineation of the functions of each of the subjects of interaction, consistency of their actions, and a high level of regulation and control. (Think about how these features of a social institution manifest themselves in the education system, particularly in school.)

Let us consider the main features of a social institution using the example of such an important institution of society as the family. First of all, every family is a small group of people based on intimacy and emotional attachment, related by marriage (spouses) and blood relationships (parents and children). The need to create a family is one of the fundamental, i.e. fundamental, human needs. At the same time, the family performs important functions in society: the birth and upbringing of children, economic support for minors and the disabled, and much more. Each member of the family occupies its own special position in it, which presupposes appropriate behavior: parents (or one of them) provide a livelihood, manage household chores, and raise children. The children, in turn, study and help around the house. Such behavior is regulated not only by family rules, but also by social norms: morality and law. Thus, public morality condemns the lack of care of older family members for younger ones. The law establishes the responsibilities and obligations of spouses towards each other, towards children, and adult children towards elderly parents. The creation of a family and the main milestones of family life are accompanied by established traditions and rituals in society. For example, in many countries, marriage rituals include the exchange of wedding rings between spouses.

The presence of social institutions makes people's behavior more predictable and society as a whole more stable.

In addition to the main social institutions, there are also non-main ones. So, if the main political institution is the state, then the non-main ones are the institution of the judiciary or, as in our country, the institution of presidential representatives in the regions, etc.

The presence of social institutions reliably ensures regular, self-renewing satisfaction of vital needs. A social institution makes connections between people not random or chaotic, but constant, reliable, and sustainable. Institutional interaction is a well-established order of social life in the main spheres of people’s life. The more social needs are satisfied by social institutions, the more developed the society is.

As new needs and conditions arise in the course of the historical process, new types of activities and corresponding connections appear. Society is interested in giving them order and a normative character, that is, in their institutionalization.

In Russia, as a result of reforms at the end of the 20th century. For example, such a type of activity as entrepreneurship appeared. The streamlining of this activity led to the emergence of various types of firms, required the publication of laws regulating business activities, and contributed to the formation of corresponding traditions.

In the political life of our country, the institutions of parliamentarism, a multi-party system, and the institution of the presidency arose. The principles and rules of their functioning are enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation and relevant laws.

In the same way, the institutionalization of other activities that emerged in recent decades took place.

It happens that the development of society requires the modernization of the activities of social institutions that historically developed in previous periods. Thus, in the changed conditions, it became necessary to solve the problems of introducing the younger generation to the culture in a new way. Hence the steps taken to modernize the institution of education, which may result in the institutionalization of the Unified State Exam and new content of educational programs.

So we can go back to the definition given at the beginning of this part of the paragraph. Think about what characterizes social institutions as highly organized systems. Why is their structure stable? What is the significance of deep integration of their elements? What is the diversity, flexibility, and dynamism of their functions?

III. Practical conclusions.

1. Society is a highly complex system, and in order to live in harmony with it, it is necessary to adapt (adapt) to it. Otherwise, you cannot avoid conflicts and failures in your life and activities. A condition for adaptation to modern society is knowledge about it, which is provided by a social studies course.

2. It is possible to understand society only if its quality is identified as an integral system. To do this, it is necessary to consider various sections of the structure of society (the main spheres of human activity, a set of social institutions, social groups), systematizing, integrating connections between them, and features of the management process in a self-governing social system.

3. In real life, you will have to interact with various social institutions. To make this interaction successful, you need to know the goals and nature of the activity that has taken shape in the social institution that interests you. Studying the legal norms governing this type of activity will help you with this.

4. In subsequent sections of the course, characterizing individual spheres of human activity, it is useful to revisit the content of this paragraph in order, based on it, to consider each sphere as part of an integral system. This will help to understand the role and place of each sphere, each social institution in the development of society.

IV. Document.

From the work of modern American sociologist E. Shils “Society and societies: a macrosociological approach.”

What is included in societies? As has already been said, the most differentiated of them consist not only of families and kinship groups, but also of associations, unions, firms and farms, schools and universities, armies, churches and sects, parties and numerous other corporate bodies or organizations which, in in turn, have boundaries defining the circle of members over which the corresponding corporate authorities - parents, managers, chairmen, etc., etc. - exercise a certain measure of control. This also includes systems formally and informally organized along territorial lines - communities, villages, districts, cities, districts - all of which also have some features of society. Further, it includes unorganized collections of people within society - social classes or strata, occupations and professions, religions, linguistic groups - who have a culture inherent more to those who have a certain status or occupy a certain position than to everyone else.

...So, we are convinced that society is not just a collection of united people, primordial and cultural groups interacting and exchanging services with each other. All these groups form a society by virtue of their existence under a common authority, which exercises its control over the territory delineated by borders, maintains and enforces a more or less common culture. It is these factors that transform a collection of relatively specialized initial corporate and cultural collectives into a society.

Questions and tasks for the document

1) What components, according to E. Shils, are included in society? Indicate which areas of society each of them belongs to.

2) Select from the listed components those that are social institutions.

3) Based on the text, prove that the author views society as a social system.

V. Questions for self-test.

1. What does the concept “system” mean?

2. How do social (public) systems differ from natural ones?

3. What is the main quality of society as an integral system?

4. What are the connections and relationships of society as a system with the environment?

5. What is a social institution?

6. Describe the main social institutions.

7. What are the main features of a social institution?

8. What is the significance of institutionalization?

VI. Tasks.

1. Using a systematic approach, analyze Russian society at the beginning of the 20th century.

2. Describe all the main features of a social institution using the example of an educational institution. Use the material and recommendations from the practical conclusions of this paragraph.

3. The collective work of Russian sociologists says: “...society exists and functions in diverse forms... The really important question comes down to ensuring that society itself is not lost behind the special forms, or the forests behind the trees.” How does this statement relate to the understanding of society as a system? Give reasons for your answer.

VII. Thoughts of the wise.

“Man is a social being, and the highest task of his life, the final goal of his efforts lies not in his personal destiny, but in the social destinies of all mankind.”

V. S. Solovyov (1853-1900), Russian philosopher

Evaluating student responses.

ATTENTION TEACHERS: Do you want to organize and lead a mental arithmetic club at your school? The demand for this technique is constantly growing, and to master it you will only need to take one advanced training course (72 hours) directly in your personal account remotely State diploma with a sought-after specialty

Low cost of training

Indefinite enrollment

Fast arrival

No Unified State Exam required

Find out more

Leave your comment

To ask questions.