A Theory of Social Action

A Theory of Social Action PDF

Author: R. Tuomela

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 1984-09-30

Total Pages: 554

ISBN-13: 9789027717030

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

It is somewhat surprising to find out how little serious theorizing there is in philosophy (and in social psychology as well as sociology) on the nature of social actions or joint act. hons in the sense of actions performed together by several agents. Actions performed by single agents have been extensively discussed both in philosophy and in psycho~ogy. There is, ac cordingly, a booming field called action theory in philosophy but it has so far strongly concentrated on actions performed by single agents only. We of course should not forget game theory, a discipline that systematically studies the strategic interac tion between several rational agents. Yet this important theory, besides being restricted to strongly rational acting, fails to study properly several central problems related to the concep tual nature of social action. Thus, it does not adequately clarify and classify the various types of joint action (except perhaps from the point of view of the agents' utilities). This book presents a systematic theory of social action. Because of its reliance on so-called purposive causation and generation it is called the purposive-causal theory. This work also discusses several problems related to the topic of social action, for instance that of how to create from this perspective the most central concepts needed by social psychology and soci ology. While quite a lot of ground is covered in the book, many important questions have been left unanswered and many others unasked as well.

Structure of Social Action 2ed V1

Structure of Social Action 2ed V1 PDF

Author: Talcott Parsons

Publisher:

Published: 1968

Total Pages: 556

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

From Simon & Schuster, Talcott Parsons' The Structure of Social Action is a study in social theory with special reference to a group of recent European writers from the 20th century. Volume 1 of The Structure of Social Action is a must-read for those looking to understand Parsons' thinking of sociology and economics.

Social Action Systems

Social Action Systems PDF

Author: Thomas J. Fararo

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2001-09-30

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 0313074119

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Fararo studies general theoretical sociology as a time-extended tradition with three phases: classical, postclassical, and recent. Employing a process philosophical approach, the author seeks to examine these three phases in an effort to provide a synthesis of the theories that seek to lay the foundations of theoretical sociology. The author especially focuses on the work of Talcott Parsons and George Homans, two contemporary theorists whose common aspiration was to forge a theoretical foundation for sociology that would serve to unify and integrate all theories growing out of sociological research in much the same way that the theory of evolution guides and integrates all other biological theories. To begin, the author provides a history and overview of the key classical theoretical frameworks from the perspective of process philosophy, which he applies to all three phases of the study. Fararo then carefully analyzes two major postclassical bodies of general theory, namely the evolving and intertwined frameworks of Parsons and Homans from their early theories of social systems to their later divergent perspectives on foundation and synthesis in sociological theory. Finally, the discussion turns to the recent phase of general theoretical sociology, where more recent foundation strategies -- rational choice theory and generative structuralism -- are analyzed in relation to the postclassical phase of the tradition. This important and sophisticated new work is essential for all those interested in sociological theory in particular and sociology in general.

The Myth of Social Action

The Myth of Social Action PDF

Author: Colin Campbell

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1998-07-09

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9780521646369

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The Myth of Social Action, first published in 1996, is a powerful critique of the sociology of the time and a call to reject the prevailing orthodoxy. Arguing that sociological theory had lost its way, Colin Campbell mounts a case for a new 'dynamic interpretivism' a perspective on human conduct which is more inkeeping with the spirit of traditional Weberian action theory. Discussing and dismissing one by one the main arguments of those who reject individualistic action theory, he demonstrates that this has been wrongly rejected in favour of the interactional, social situationalist approach now dominating sociological thought.

The Explanation of Social Action

The Explanation of Social Action PDF

Author: John Levi Martin

Publisher: OUP USA

Published: 2011-08-11

Total Pages: 411

ISBN-13: 0199773319

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Why questions? What explanations? -- Causality and persons -- Authority and experience -- The grid of perception -- Action in and on a world -- A social aesthetics -- Valence and habit -- Fields and games -- Explanations explained

Beyond Equilibrium Theory

Beyond Equilibrium Theory PDF

Author: M. Ross DeWitt

Publisher: University Press of America

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 9780761817390

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Beyond Equilibrium Theory is a fundamentally new interpretation of social reality that introduces theories of social formation and transformation, for micro- and macro-analysis of action systems and social movements. Equilibrium and conflict are viewed as societal variants rather than as ideal or natural states. Classical theorists are placed within a common theoretical framework, in an analysis of social order and social change as separate continua. Multiple path models trace changing patterns of partnering and power sharing. Hypotheses are tested with field-collected survey data, regression analysis of higher-order interactions, and comparisons of means adjusted for other effects. Researchers are provided with detailed methods of integrating theory and research, including nonlinear models and new logics of causality.

After Parsons

After Parsons PDF

Author: Renee C. Fox

Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation

Published: 2005-08-25

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 1610442156

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Esteemed twentieth-century sociologist Talcott Parsons sought to develop a comprehensive and coherent scheme for sociology that could be applied to every society and historical epoch, and address every aspect of human social organization and culture. His theory of social action has exerted enormous influence across a wide range of social science disciplines. After Parsons, edited by Renée Fox, Victor Lidz, and Harold Bershady, provides a critical reexamination of Parsons' theory in light of historical changes in the world and advances in sociological thought since his death. After Parsons is a fresh examination of Parsons' theoretical undertaking, its significance for social scientific thought, and its implications for present-day empirical research. The book is divided into four parts: Social Institutions and Social Processes; Societal Community and Modernization; Sociology and Culture; and the Human Condition. The chapters deal with Parsons' notions of societal community, societal evolution, and modernization and modernity. After Parsons addresses major themes of enduring relevance, including social differentiation and cultural diversity, social solidarity, universalism and particularism, and trust and affect in social life. The contributors explore these topics in a wide range of social institutions—family and kinship, economy, polity, the law, medicine, art, and religion—and within the context of contemporary developments such as globalization, the power of the United States as an "empireless empire," the emergence of forms of fundamentalism, the upsurge of racial, tribal, and ethnic conflicts, and the increasing occurence of deterministic and positivistic thought. Rather than simply celebrating Parsons and his accomplishments, the contributors to After Parsons rethink and reformulate his ideas to place them on more solid foundations, extend their scope, and strengthen their empirical insights. After Parsons constitutes the work of a distinguished roster of American and European sociologists who find Parsons' theory of action a valuable resource for addressing contemporary issues in sociological theory. All of the essays in this volume take elements of Parsons' theory and critique, adapt, refine, or extend them to gain fresh purchase on problems that confront sociologists today.

Action Theory

Action Theory PDF

Author: Helmut Staubmann

Publisher: LIT Verlag Münster

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 9783825875022

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The volume explores the legacy of the general theory of action in order to exploit it for contemporary debates on the methodology of the social sciences. It includes the important but so far unpublished Parsons manuscript "The Sociology of Knowledge and the History of Ideas" and essays by Thomas Fararo (University of Pittsburgh): "On the Foundations of Action Theory"; Victor Lidz (Drexel University) and Harold Bershady (University of Pennsylvania): "Parsons' Tacit Metatheory"; Giuseppe Sciortino (Universitß degli studi di Trento): "Toward a Structural Theory of Social Pluralism"; David Sciulli (Texas A&M University): "Reformulating Parsons' Theory for Comparative Research Today"; Helmut Staubmann (University of Innsbruck): "The Affective Structure of the Social World." Helmut Staubmann is professor at the Institute for Sociology at the Leopold-Franzens-University, Innsbruck (Austria).

Lanterna Rally - Theme by Grace Themes