SOCIOL 102 Chapter 12: TURNER
Document Summary
Week 1: sociology 102: early critical theory jonathan turner. Majority of sociologists are influenced by the enlightenment . Still remains a source of inspiration: 1) social universe has often been seen as progressing, moving from one stage of development to another and 2) belief that science can further social progress. Most theorists in the critical tradition see industrial capitalism in negative terms | view postmodernity in a negative light. Majority of critical theorists make fun of the optimism of the enlightenment, yet still use reason and science to come up with solutions even if those solutions are wrought with pessimism. Marx criticized young hegelians because he saw them as hopeless idealists (seeing the world as reflective of ideas) Marx was a modernist (not postmodernist), believing that humans were unique by virtue of conscious awareness of themselves and their situation, capacity to self-reflect and assess positions in relation to the rest of society.
