Philosophy
I'm working through Max Weber's methodological essays and one of the points he argues is that social progress is a myth. Across the ideological spectrum of founding fathers of sociology, from Marx's communist view to Spenser's free market social Darwinism, the presupposition was that society not only changed, it progressed, that society's increasing complexity was a sign of maturity.
But Weber argues that it is not change for the better or change for the worse, it is just change. There is indeed a social progression, but that does not mean it is social progress. For this, he argues by analogy. Consider painting and music. We can talk about movements in art -- cubism, surrealism, baroque, romantic, atonal -- and we can see each as a reaction to what came before it. There is a progression in musical and artist theory and composition. We get new techniques, new instruments, new media. But surely, we don't think that Rembrandt or Mozart are less masterful than those who came after. We do not, Weber, argues, contend that there is progress in the arts, just change. the change is necessary to keep the art alive and fresh, but it is not making it more perfect with each new step.
The same, he thinks, goes for society. It changes and will always change. But that change is not social progress. Things are different than they were, but the old days were neither the good old days or the bad old days, they were just what they were. Similarly, new does not entail new and improved.
But does it? Are we moving towards a place where there is increased freedom and increased possibility for human flourishing? Does the analogy work? Is there progress in art, music, or society?
- The Sacred Right Of Complaint
With several elections going on today, it seems appropriate to bring out this one. I heard someone the other day utter the old chestnut "I vote because if you don't, you have no right to complain." It's a veritable cliche of American...
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Having friends is a wonderful thing. No one would deny that. But is having friends necessary for a well-lived human life? Could you have a full and satisfying life without friends. The question does not ask whether one could be a happy...
- Is Peace Just Internalized Conflict?
Came across an interesting passage in, "The Meaning of 'Ethical Neutrality' in sociology and Economics," an essay of Max Weber in which he argues that there is no such thing as peace: "Conflict cannot be excluded from social life. One can...
- Historians, Archaeologists, And Scientists
Are historians scientists? They frame hypotheses about the causes and effects of real events and use empirical evidence to support their accounts. But they don't do not look for regularities to make into laws; to the contrary, they account...
- Justifying Fashion
This is fashion week in New York. To be honest, I've always had an antipathy for fashion. Growing up as a nerd in an upper-middle class suburb, fashion always seemed to me to be a two-pronged evil. On the one hand, it was something...
Philosophy
Is There Progress in Art? Society?
I'm working through Max Weber's methodological essays and one of the points he argues is that social progress is a myth. Across the ideological spectrum of founding fathers of sociology, from Marx's communist view to Spenser's free market social Darwinism, the presupposition was that society not only changed, it progressed, that society's increasing complexity was a sign of maturity.
But Weber argues that it is not change for the better or change for the worse, it is just change. There is indeed a social progression, but that does not mean it is social progress. For this, he argues by analogy. Consider painting and music. We can talk about movements in art -- cubism, surrealism, baroque, romantic, atonal -- and we can see each as a reaction to what came before it. There is a progression in musical and artist theory and composition. We get new techniques, new instruments, new media. But surely, we don't think that Rembrandt or Mozart are less masterful than those who came after. We do not, Weber, argues, contend that there is progress in the arts, just change. the change is necessary to keep the art alive and fresh, but it is not making it more perfect with each new step.
The same, he thinks, goes for society. It changes and will always change. But that change is not social progress. Things are different than they were, but the old days were neither the good old days or the bad old days, they were just what they were. Similarly, new does not entail new and improved.
But does it? Are we moving towards a place where there is increased freedom and increased possibility for human flourishing? Does the analogy work? Is there progress in art, music, or society?
- The Sacred Right Of Complaint
With several elections going on today, it seems appropriate to bring out this one. I heard someone the other day utter the old chestnut "I vote because if you don't, you have no right to complain." It's a veritable cliche of American...
- Are Friends Necessary?
Having friends is a wonderful thing. No one would deny that. But is having friends necessary for a well-lived human life? Could you have a full and satisfying life without friends. The question does not ask whether one could be a happy...
- Is Peace Just Internalized Conflict?
Came across an interesting passage in, "The Meaning of 'Ethical Neutrality' in sociology and Economics," an essay of Max Weber in which he argues that there is no such thing as peace: "Conflict cannot be excluded from social life. One can...
- Historians, Archaeologists, And Scientists
Are historians scientists? They frame hypotheses about the causes and effects of real events and use empirical evidence to support their accounts. But they don't do not look for regularities to make into laws; to the contrary, they account...
- Justifying Fashion
This is fashion week in New York. To be honest, I've always had an antipathy for fashion. Growing up as a nerd in an upper-middle class suburb, fashion always seemed to me to be a two-pronged evil. On the one hand, it was something...