The social Theory of Georg Simmel

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1024612627

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-166627

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Spykman, Nicholas J. http://d-nb.info/gnd/124229867

Title:: The social Theory of Georg Simmel

Place of publication:: Chicago

Publisher:: Univ. of Chicago Press.

Year of publication:: 1925

Scope:: XXIX, 297 S

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

266 THE SOCIAL THEORY OF GEORG SIMMEL ceptions of the eighteenth. In reality he does not return completely, but takes up an intermediate position. This partial return is a distinct departure from the mysticism that has been rampant in social and political thought in the nineteenth century, and is a definite approach toward a more scientific view. The great importance of Simmel for all social theorists lies in the fact that his methodology ex- plodes the last survivals of rationalism, mysticism, and anthropomorphism which still cling to our thinking about the socio-historical actuality. Social philosophy as metaphysics has a great and defi- nite function and significance for Simmel, but that function is wholly different from that of science. As a forerunner of science, it has a value and significance only in relation to science; but in neither case can it pretend to be science. The differentiation which leads from philosophy to science, the approach toward the immediate actuality, should be ruthlessly continued until the actual factors and the direct primary processes have been discovered. As long as the inquiry has not reached that stage, it cannot be called scientific, and the investigation which aims at scientific knowledge cannot rest. Simmel’s criticism of rationalism is most evident in his emphasis on the necessity for continuing the historical in- vestigation until the non-scientific concept of historical law dissolves. It is also apparent in his stress on the need for abstaining from speculation about the “social process’ and for investigating the minute processes of socialization. His contention that the concept of a historical law resembles more closely metaphysical speculation than sci- entific thought is especially of interest in view of the fact that some of his critics have accused him of neglecting the historical dimension. This criticism seems hardly justified. In his discussions on method Simmel points out that an

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: The social Theory of Georg Simmel

Monograph

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation