Theory Social Notes February 14 Recorded by Sheena Wickett with some materials from LDB
Dr. Brush named people who were at or past their limit of 3 misses From Last time (2/9) on The Division of Labor:
I. Marx and Durkheim characterize "the social"....
Marx present= modern industrial world; capitalist conflict theorist method: dialectical materialism modern society industrial and capitalist contradiction and class struggle characteristic of modern society revolution (sudden, forceful, fast, compressed period) class relations are antagonistic/conflictual, unequal, exploitative, alienating, bourgeoisie vs. proletariat exploitation, class struggle and labor conflicts are inevitable effects of capitalism, normal solidarity: common site and plight of proletariat division of labor: part of class conflict, formation, individual experience, alienation
Durkheim present= modern industrial world functional theorist method: social realism (objectionist, positivist) modern society industrial and organized (different aspects of society organized) development of industrial system evolution (continuous, slow, natural) class relations are interdependent, cooperative traditional vs. modern shared values and norms of social cohesion eroded by industrialization exploitation abnormal result of disorganization solidarity: social cohesion 1. mechanical 2. organic division of labor: specialization undermines mechanical but is basis of organic (anomie)
method: 1.) epistemology 2.) way of gathering info
The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life: Big Ideas: knowledge, ideology
essay compared to Marx's commodity fetishism and religion as opium debate Commodity fetishism and "religion as opium" are part of Marx's broader theory of ideology, that is, his way of theorizing where ideas come from and how to think about the interests they may represent and the way idea systems (such as religion or bourgeois political economy) construct how people think about the social world.
I. Marx and Durkheim religion....
Marx
characterize religion: wants people to demystify the function of religion and criticism
to capitalism; instead of religion being a "sacred cow", analyze the function of it motive: ideas can mystify social relations which makes it hard to see what is really going on method: dialectical, historical, materialist social constructions: class analysis of ideology origins of (religious) ideas: human experience of inhumane conditions
Durkheim religion: serves as social cohesion motive: religion real and affects all aspects of society; looks at origin and evolution of religion pg. 151 goes beyond superficial to the essence of a social fact method: empiricist, objectification, significance and function of religion social constructions: holistic analysis of origins of social thought where ideas come from (pg. 153) origins of religious thought: collective life (pg. 157-8); natural but not utilitarian "ideal"
religion and science: pg. 154
religion is the ONLY place what Durkheim (following a long philosophical tradition) terms categories of thought = ideas come from-Dr. Brush reads passage from the Bible "God's Days of Creation" and compares to Durkh...