The social Theory of Georg Simmel

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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

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N= [= T= rh ad to 1e. Ve ~h C= he le ty d- fo fo of n, he nd th y he i= ed OI 9.9 "Yom Ny — *()- nf SOCIOLOGY 3G socialization are brought together under one unifying sci- entific concept in mental detachment from their content. In order to differentiate the various fields of scientific inquiry from the unitary and complex actuality, it is neces- sary to abstract from that actuality the similar and related phenomena by means of such synthesizing concepts. But the mere subjective needs of cognition are not a sufficient legitimation of the use of such concepts. There must also be a justification in the structure of the objectivity for the specific concepts selected. If there does not exist a functional relationship of some sort between these integral concepts and the outside world, there is no protection against unfruitful inquiries and against the use of purely fortuitous and arbitrary concepts. The concept of society as form can therefore be used as the integral concept of sociology only if there exists such a functional relation between that concept and the social actuality. The differentiation between the form and the content of social phenomena and the synthesis of the latter into a field of special scientific inquiry are legitimate only if that differentiation can be justified by the actual struc- ture of society. That justification exists if two conditions are fulfilled. Similar forms of socialization must occur with quite dissimilar content, and similar social interests must be found in quite dissimilar forms of socialization. That this is the case cannot be denied. There are simi- lar forms of relationship between individuals in groups which are wholly dissimilar in aim and purpose. Superior- ity and subordination, competition, imitation, division of labor, formation of parties, and countless other forms of relationship are found both in civic groups and in religious communities, in bands of conspirators and in industrial organizations, in art schools and in families. However diverse the interests from which the socializations arise.

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