Human sciences class questions

Q. Which human sciences uses methods most akin to the methods of the natural sciences?

A. Psychology: theory is most often brought about from observation e.g. Pavlov's dogs. Sociology and criminology use emotional disassociation to reach an unbiased, widely applied outcome  

Q. How does the fact that the object of our inquiry is human affect the way we pursue it? How does it impact the ethical limitations imposed on it?

A. Observations and recordings become highly subjective and bias due to the nature of studying oneself. We, being of the same species, put more importance on our own kind when considering ethics. This is why we test vaccines and antibiotics on animals first but not humans: the loss of our own is more detrimental than the loss of an outsider/unrelated species. Scientists often do not make ethical considerations for animals lest they are endangered. Human sciences hone in on the emotional rather than the physical due to the ethical limitations imposed upon us from the masses. Ethical limitations skyrocket when it comes to our own kind. Powerful emotions are brought about due to the level of intelligence in human beings and the ability to ethically make a decision. We owe it unto ourselves to make use of this ability we have spent do long honing

Q. What assumptions about human nature, if any, do we need to make in order to justify our methods?

A. We must assume that we have no overt bias towards our observational and recording abilities. We must assume that all logging is made without bias (especially emotional), as it would be made if studying a differing species. Assumptions of acceptance should be made: we must assume that our findings effect the masses the way we wish for them to be perceived through effective use of language. We must assume that humans consent to the idea of being studied and comfortable with having their beliefs on their nature challenged.