SOCI 205 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Lifeworld, Essentialism
8 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Piaget: centering and de-centering through communication and the construction of social understanding. Universals can only be determined pragmatically by testing against counter examples, not by using transcendental assumptions (or essentialist foundations). Language involves coordinating actions, which are inherent to a social body. Occurs in a context completely free of any non-rational. Coercive influences including both physical and psychological coercion. Individuals are motivated to achieve a rational consensus and are free to speak and evaluate each other"s assertions on the basis of reason and evidence. Purposive rational action is steered" by media of power (state) and money and substitute for oral language as the medium for coordination of social action. Antagonism between two forms of social integration: language oriented toward understanding and collective wellbeing, media which are systems of success-oriented action. Steering media of power and money bypass consensus oriented communication. The uncoupling of the system from the life-world. The system is steered by non-linguistic media of money and power.
