The Verstehen Thesis and the Foundations of Max Weber's Methodology

History and Theory 16 (1):11-29 (1977)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The Verstehen thesis is Weber's method for identifying and understanding sociocultural phenomena. He assumes that, as the study of meaningful human conduct, the social sciences , must recognize that the actor who participates in cultural activities has already defined those actions. Only actions which have meaning for the agent can count as sociocultural phenomena. Weber's exposition of the Verstehen thesis is scattered among many of his essays and criticisms in the form of illustrations and examples, consistent with his belief that sociocultural investigation requires flexible programs rather than a permanent conceptual scheme. He observed that the Methodenstreit of his day created a crisis of the social sciences because of the excessive emphasis on methodological issues, and he proposed the Verstehen thesis as a solution to this early twentieth-century crisis

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,593

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Max webers system der verstehenden soziologie.Ulrich Steinvorth - 1982 - Journal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 13 (1):48-69.
Webers idealtypus AlS methode zur bestimmung Des begriffsinhaltes theoretischer begriffe in den kulturwissenschaften.Gertrude Hirsch Hadorn - 1997 - Journal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 28 (2):275 - 296.
Verstehen and dialecdtic: Epistemology and methodology in Weber andlukacs.John Sewart - 1978 - Philosophy and Social Criticism 5 (3-4):320-366.
Collingwood and Weber vs. Mink: History after the Cognitive Turn.Stephen Turner - 2011 - Journal of the Philosophy of History 5 (2):230-260.
Max Weber's Defense of Historical Inquiry.Lelan McLemore - 1984 - History and Theory 23 (3):277-295.
Weber's Thesis as an Historical Explanation.Ehud Sprinzak - 1972 - History and Theory 11 (3):294-320.
Weber's Protestant ethic: origins, evidence, contexts.Hartmut Lehmann & Guenther Roth (eds.) - 1993 - New York, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press.
Verstehen gegen erklären.Uwe Laucken - 1976 - Journal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 7 (1):113-118.
Max Weber and the Objectivity of Social Science.David Goddard - 1973 - History and Theory 12 (1):1-22.
Objectivism and the study of man (part II).Hans Skjervheim - 1974 - Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 17 (1-4):265-302.
Objectivism and the study of man (part I).Hans Skjervheim - 1974 - Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 17 (1-4):213 – 239.

Analytics

Added to PP
2015-02-04

Downloads
17 (#742,076)

6 months
1 (#1,040,386)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

Verstehen and dialecdtic: Epistemology and methodology in Weber andlukacs.John Sewart - 1978 - Philosophy and Social Criticism 5 (3-4):320-366.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references