scholarly journals Just What is Social Ontology?

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Rudder Baker
Keyword(s):  
Social Ontology ◽  
Social Reality ◽  
Social Phenomena

AbstractConstruing ontology as an inventory of what genuinely and nonredundantly exists, this paper investigates two questions: (i) Do all – or any – social phenomena belong in ontology? and (ii) What difference does it make what is, and is not, in ontology? First, I consider John Searle’s account of social ontology, and make two startling discoveries: Searle’s theory of social reality conflicts with his ontological conditions of adequacy; and although ontology concerns existence, Searle’s theory of social reality is wholly epistemic. Then, I offer my own view of social reality, on which social phenomena are ontologically significant. Since ontology concerns what genuinely and nonredundantly exists, anyone interested in what there is ought to care about ontology.

Constructivist Moral Realism

1998 ◽  
pp. 147-153
Author(s):  
J. K. Swindler
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Moral Realism ◽  
Social Ontology ◽  
Social Reality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social World ◽  
Moral Law ◽  
Social Morality ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Realm

We are social animals in the sense that we spontaneously invent and continuously re-invent the social realm. But, not unlike other artifacts, once real, social relations, practices, institutions, etc., obey prior laws, some of which are moral laws. Hence, with regard to social reality, we ought to be ontological constructivists and moral realists. This is the view sketched here, taking as points of departure Searle's recent work on social ontology and May's on group morality. Moral and social selves are distinguished to acknowledge that social reality is constructed but social morality is not. It is shown how and why moral law requiring respect for the dignity and well being of agents governs a social world comprising roles that are real only because of their occupants' social intentions.

Days of post-pandemic future: re-imagining corruption practices in a world that won’t stop changing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendi Yogi Prabowo
Keyword(s):  
Practice Theory ◽  
Social Ontology ◽  
Social Reality ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new analytical framework in examining corruption from the social ontology perspective by using the Schatzkian practice theory to assess the interconnectedness among social practices constituting the social reality. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory paper is part of the author’s study to assess the complex corruption phenomenon in Indonesia from multiple perspectives to gain a better understanding of its nature and dynamics. By drawing from the existing literature on the Schatzkian practice theory, the COVID-19 pandemic and the corruption phenomenon, this study investigates the potential changes of the new constellation of practice-arrangement bundles within the social reality and how such changes may alter corruption practices in the future. Furthermore, this study also uses publicly available reports from several national and international agencies to explore possible future scenarios from the interconnectedness of corruption, anti-corruption and pandemic practices. This paper constructs a new analytical framework for assessing the corruption phenomenon and designing the most appropriate anti-corruption strategy from such an exploration. The framework also serves as a reference for future anti-corruption research. Findings The author establishes that all social phenomena are constructed by an interconnected, dynamic and ever-changing constellation of practice-arrangement bundles within the social reality. As a largely social phenomenon (at least in Indonesia), corruption is also constructed by webs of practice-arrangement bundles. For decades, corruption practices in Indonesia have always been interconnected with anti-corruption practices in ways that changes in one group of practices will drive changes in the others. With the adoption of the pandemic practices centered around social distancing, social restriction and social safety net, corruption practices appear to transform to adapt to the new environment. Therefore, future anti-corruption research should aim to examine the structure and dynamics of corruption, anti-corruption and pandemic practices to highlight changes or potential changes within the three groups of practices to determine the most appropriate intervention measures and anti-corruption strategy. Research limitations/implications This exploratory study is self-funded and relies primarily on documentary analysis to explore the corruption phenomenon in Indonesia. Future studies will benefit from in-depth interviews with former corruption offenders and corruption investigators. Practical implications This exploratory paper contributes to developing a sound corruption prevention strategy by proposing a new analytical framework for assessing various social practices, particularly those associated with corruption and the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value This paper highlights the importance of understanding the structure, interconnectedness and dynamics of social practices, particularly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, to better understand the corruption phenomenon.

scholarly journals Dyskursy psychoterapii a rozumienie rzeczywistości społecznej

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-221
Author(s):  
Barbara Józefik
Keyword(s):  
Social Reality ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cultural Discourse ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
The One

Complex and changing social conditions engender the need to find a language to describe the phenomena and to elucidate their mechanisms. One possibility is the language of psychotherapy, which in itself is complex because it combines the various currents which have emerged in psychotherapy’s more than one hundred years of history. The author’s aim is to analyze the relations between culture, social reality (including Poland’s), and psychotherapy. On the one hand, she attempts to view psychotherapy as a cultural discourse, and on the other, to understand culture and social phenomena from the perspective of a psychotherapy office.

scholarly journals The Performative Practices in Politics

Symposion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-97
Author(s):  
Dmytro Shevchuk ◽  
Maksym Karpovets ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Social Reality ◽  
Theoretical Explanation ◽  
Performance Theory ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Democratic Ideals

Performance theory is one of the methods that can explain dynamic and unpredictable social phenomena. The basics of our research are to be found in the artistic practices that destroyed previous classical patterns in art, while overcoming its boundaries. Accordingly, performance as a practical phenomenon has become the basis for a theoretical explanation of different political processes with carnival nature that influence and change social reality. This article proves that the Maidan in Kiev had a performative nature as well, which developped spontaneously due to its active involvement of the human body and the release of unconscious elements. It is claimed that the use of performative practices inside the Maidan allowed to overcome the totalitarian vertical logic of power, realizing democratic ideals and overcoming nihilism. Therefore, we suggest that performative theory can be applied to similar carnival political, social, and cultural phenomena, revealing their procedural and creative substance.

Ontology

2021 ◽  
pp. 194-199
Author(s):  
Eric Fabri
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Scientific Realism ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Social Ontology ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Modes Of Existence ◽  
Objective Existence

This chapter addresses ontology, which is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of being. As a branch of metaphysics, ontology is mainly concerned with the modes of existence of different entities (tangible and intangible). Every subdiscipline in the social sciences relies on an ontology that defines which elements really matter when it comes to explaining the phenomenon they set out to elucidate. A specific branch of ontology is devoted to the modes of existence of social phenomena: social ontology. Two main positions emerge: realism and constructivism. Scientific realism assumes that social phenomena have an objective existence, independent of the subject. By contrast, constructivism claims that social phenomena have no objective existence and are a construction of the human mind. Its fundamental axiom is that, even if reality exists outside the subject’s perception, the subject cannot reach it without perceiving it. This implies the mediation of imaginary structures, which are provided by social groups. It is important to note, however, that many other positions exist apart from realism and constructivism.

scholarly journals THE POSITIVISTIC PARADIGM RELEVANT IN RESEARCH RURAL SOCIOLOGY

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Irwan Irwan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Social Constructivism ◽  
Social Reality ◽  
Rural Sociology ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
The Social ◽  
Education Status ◽  
Sociological Studies ◽  
Pragmatic Paradigm

The scientific research in sociology has several paradigms namely positivistic, social constructivism, advocacy, participatory and pragmatic paradigm (Creswell, 2010). Positivistic paradigm considers the social reality that occurs as empirical, observed clearly and can be proven scientifically. In order to study the phenomenon in society that the positivistic paradigm has great contribution. Therefore, a question arises whether the positivistic paradigm has a major influence on the study of society? is it relevant that the positivistic paradigm used in rural sociology research? The positivistic paradigm of social phenomena is understood from an outside perspective based on the understanding of established theories. The Social reality is a phenomenon whose existence is determined by other social phenomena (interrelated variables) and its existence can be described into symbols that have been established in society. The problems in society in particular can not only be explained in constructivist paradigm but there is social phenomenon which surely needs to be explained in other paradigm such as positivistic paradigm. The positivistic paradigm is in the position of answering the problem of seeing the level and influence of social reality. Therefore, the positivistic paradigm is highly relevant to the study of rural sociology, where the phenomena occurring is unlimited and to simplify social phenomena, therefore statistics analysis is needed as a basis for concluding the data obtained from the field. In rural sociological studies, various social phenomena are associated with stratification, education, status, religion and so on. To answer the problems that occur in rural communities need a positivistic paradigm.

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