Log In
Or create an account ->
Imperial Library
Home
About
News
Upload
Forum
Help
Login/SignUp
Index
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Preface
1 Introduction
The 'abuse of reason'
Political economy and the discovery of unintentional order
The birth of sociology and intentional order
The 'revolt against individualism'
The alliance against the open society
2 Bernard De Mandeville and Adam Smith
Man, a social animal
Needs and the division of labour
Can a 'commercial society' survive?
The advantage of Ego and the advantage of the Other: the 'invisible hand'
Ateleological development
Mandeville: the service rendered by others is always a means
Smith: the service rendered by others is always a means (on the principle of 'sympathy')
'The Adam Smith problem'
The consistency of Smith's theory
Some conclusions
3 Which Method?
Unintentional order and the individualistic method
The 'individualistic' method makes clear the socia link
The individualistic method and the errors of psychologism
Auguste Comte: the collectivistic method and the impossibility of the 'great society'
Karl Marx: between politics and science
4 Durkheim and the Application of the Collectivistic Method
Durkheim versus the 'great society'
The state as independent variable
Durkheim and political economy
Is society a 'sui generis' reality?
Society is not a 'sui generis' reality
Between positivism and idealism
5 Is an ‘Individualistic’ Reading of Durkheim Possible?
The elements that justify an 'individualistic' reading of Durkheim
Durkheim under the 'individualistic' lens
Is it possible to reconcile Durkheim and Spencer?
Is it possible to reconcile Durkheim and Simmel?
6 Economists and Sociologists Compared
Carl Menger: methodological individualism and 'marginalistic revolution'
The 'convergences' between Carl Menger and Georg Simmel
Ludwig von Mises: the theory of action in the development of Austrian marginalism
The 'convergences' between Max Weber and Ludwig von Mises
Mises's criticism of Weber's quadripartition of meaningful action
7 The Early Parsons
The 'death' of Spencer and the expulsion of Simmel
The misunderstanding of the rational construction of preferences
In search of the 'voluntaristic-creative' element
The problem of the 'common system of ultimate ends'
The 'sociologistic theorem'
The missing solution
Economic cost and social obligation
8 Conclusions
'Let us learn to be selves'
Sociology and economics
The task of the social sciences
Notes
References
Index
← Prev
Back
Next →
← Prev
Back
Next →