Jarren Ellen Jones, age 14, of Omaha, Nebraska, for her question:

Is philosophy similar to sociologv?

Both philosophy and sociology concern human ideas about humanity. Nobody can escape either of them. Your philosophy is your personal view of basic human nature, especially your own. Your views on sociology concern the life you share with others, from the family to the huge hodge podge of nations. Whether you know it or not, your views on both these subjects reveal themselves in your attitudes and color everything you do.

Philosophy, the love of wisdom, was the favorite study in ancient Greece. It assumes that the human nature within each of us is basically noble and that we can bring out our best by quiet pondering or through honest discussions with others. Modern sociology studies human behavior in groups, large and small. It evaluates the stresses of poverty and wealth, government and politics, population ratios of black and white, young and old. These factors affect people's regard for themselves and how they react to others. Sociology assumes that people are happier and friendlier when they live in pleasant social atmospheres.

Our twin studies of mankind depend largely on human opinion    which is never easy to verify. Both have experts who set forth man's highest ideals and other experts who spout nonsense. However, we need both these human studies and naturally we want to possess their best qualities. It is up to each person to sift and select the ideas. and form his own conclusions. Sociology courses are rewarding because they reveal surprising ideas that you have never thought out for yourself. The best of those ideas enlarge your mind and heart, making room to enjoy a wider life with more people. Needless to say, the Society Page and Social Jet Set have insignificant roles in serious sociology.

However, you notice that ideal social conditions guarantee neither happiness nor ideal human behavior. Then it's time to let philosophy guide your thoughts inward to probe the basic qualities of human nature. This cool headed study calls for reason and grips you until you find the best of yourself. You are a sound philosopher when you know that good conduct is good sense, that honesty is merely accurate arithmetic because ultimately the only person one can cheat is one's self. Words like courage and tolerance are charged with new life and you see the practical links between rights and responsibilities. Trashy short range pleasures are discarded in favor of sane long range happiness. Surface gestures of common courtesy spring from deep wells of good¬will in your own nature. Nothing in the outside world can belittle your genuine self respect or injure your dignity. Eventually, you save time on maintaining a public image    for there are no fences or defenses between what you are and what you express to the world.

We need both philosophy and sociology, these two fold studies of humanity. Our dealings with people and life in general require constant readjustments between our personal attitudes and the behavior of others. This job is never done and the quality of our entire lives depends upon how well we tackle it.

History has given us only a few great philosophers. The great one of the ancient world was Socrates, whose method of critical analysis was recorded by Plato. Modern scholars, especially in Europe, rate our Ralph Waldo Emerson among the few greats. He also saw man's social problems, and his work is a sort of bridge between ancient philosophy and modern sociology. You would enjoy reading his elegant essays, especially Andy's favorite which is titled Man the Reformer.