Foundations of Natural, Social, and Economic Sciences

Classification of Sciences

Sciences distinguished by Pythagorean scholars: arithmetic, astronomy, and music.

Pure natural sciences are divided into: chemical and physical sciences, life sciences, and earth sciences.

Three social sciences: psychology, economics, and law.

Epistemology and Methodology

Empiricism: A philosophical doctrine that asserts that knowledge is acquired on the basis of experience and denies the possibility of spontaneous ideas.

Social Science: The science responsible for observing and analyzing human behavior.

Differences Between Social and Natural Sciences

Methodological differences: The natural sciences are tested by experiments in laboratories and study the environment. The social sciences study human behavior and are analyzed by the actions and thinking of individuals.

Natural sciences are responsible for studying the natural environment unmodified by man.

Legal and Political Frameworks

Public Administration: The activity through which the state and auxiliary subjects attend to the satisfaction of collective goods.

Criminal Law: The set of rules defining crimes, sanctions, and measures for the prevention of crime that the state sets.

Commercial Law: The study of trade and activities related to it.

Political Parties and Power Dynamics

Features of political parties: They encourage expression and recruit/train future political leaders.

Forms that can occur in power: Control, power, influence, and authority.

Division of political parties: Action parties, expression parties, and power-oriented parties.

Major Mexican Political Parties

• National Action Party (PAN): Founded in 1939 with the motto "For a homeland orderly and generous."
• Green Ecologist Party: Founded in 1992 with the slogan "Govern for the people of Mexico."
• PRI: Founded in 1946 with the motto "Democracy and Social Justice."

Chapters comprising the National Revolutionary Party program: Education, industry, finance, agriculture, and personnel.

Mexican Liberal Agenda: Redistribute land in the suburbs and determine an 8-hour work day.

Economic Principles and Market Systems

Elastic Demand: When the price goes up, demand changes significantly. Inelastic Demand: Demand remains steady even if prices change (e.g., if cigars cost 2 pesos more).

Supply (Bid): The amount of goods and services that a person is willing to provide or buy.

Economic Systems

Planned Economy System: Public power establishes and manages market prices.

Market System: Characterized by free competition, private companies, and prices set by the law of supply and demand.

Types of Demand and Consumer Goods

• Elastic Demand: Demand changes greatly in response to changing prices.
• Inelastic Demand: Demand remains stable despite changes in prices, or changes very little.
• Consumer Goods: Perishable goods are affected by the passage of time or extinguished by use (e.g., food). Non-perishable goods prevail through time or have long-term use.