Alfred Schutz, the Epistemology and Methodology of the Human and Social Sciences, and the Subjective Foundations of Objectivity

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 61-74
Author(s):  
Simon V. Glynn ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Emanuel Gros

AbstractAlfred Schutz is, without a doubt, one of the phenomenologists that contributed the most to the reflection on how to apply insights from phenomenological philosophy to the, empirical and theoretical, human and social sciences. However, his work tends to be neglected by many of the current advocates of phenomenology within these disciplines. In the present paper, I intend to remedy this situation. In order to do so, I will systematically revisit his mundane and social-scientifically oriented account of phenomenology, which, as I shall show, emerges from a theoretical confrontation with the Husserlian distinction between transcendental phenomenology and phenomenological psychology.


Phainomenon ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-24
Author(s):  
Lester Embree

Abstract Alfred Schutz emphasizes the methods of interpretative social sciences. Thomas Seebohm emphasizes the interpretation of texts and traces essential to the historical sciences. There their accounts are, in the main, mutually complementary, and together they advance the constitutive phenomenological theory of the generically cultural sciences.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martyn Hammersley

The work of Alfred Schutz was an important early influence on Harold Garfinkel and therefore on the development of ethnomethodology. In this article, I try to clarify what Garfinkel drew from Schutz, as well as what he did not take from him, specifically as regards the task of social inquiry. This is done by focusing in detail on one of Schutz’s key articles: ‘Concept and Theory Formation in the Social Sciences’. The aim is thereby to illuminate the relationship between Schutz’s views on the character of social science and Garfinkel’s radical proposal for a re-specified focus of investigation. This is further pursued by examining an important debate about the link between Schutz and ethnomethodology.


1972 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 176-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton C. Zijderveld

The theories of the Austrian-American philosopher and social scientist Alfred Schutz have been summarized and introduced sufficiently by various of his students. The purpose of the present paper is not to provide the reader with yet another comprehensive summary of his phenomenology and social theories but will try to formulate what Schutz has contributed to one of the most crucial issues in the methodology of the social sciences, namely the problem of an adequate social theory. Without underestimating the many fruitful insights of his phenomenological philosophy and the contributions he made to social theory in general, it was in the field of methodology that, according to this author's opinion, Schutz contributed most to the social sciences.


Human Studies ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Kersten

Phainomenon ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-96
Author(s):  
João Carlos Correia

Abstract Throughout about three decades of incessant research, the Austrian phenomenologist Alfred Schutz tried to specify the concept of meaning presented in an insufficient way by Max Weber in his famous definition of subjective action. Quickly, Schutz exceeded the methodological questions related with the foundation of Social Sciences, developing an elaborated reflection on the relations between Communication and Society. Along this text, are presented some particularly significant moments of this intellectual journey, such as the schtuzian reflection on intersubjectivity; the question of communication as condition of possibility of the life-world, and, finally, the analysis of appresentational reference and the set of linguistic artefacts (marks, indications, signs and symbols) that allows man to deal with the experience of transcendence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 43-74
Author(s):  
Carlos Belvedere ◽  
Alexis Gros ◽  

There is a broad consensus that the study of social institutions is one of the fundamental concerns of the social sciences. The idea that phenomenology has ignored this topic is also widely accepted. As against this view, the present paper aims at demonstrating that especially Schutzian phenomenology—that is, the social-phenomenological tradition started by Alfred Schutz and continued by Thomas Luckmann and Peter Berger, among others—provides rich insights on the nature and workings of social institutions that could contribute to enriching the current social-scientific debate on the issue. In order to show this, the authors attempt to unearth and systematically reconstruct Schutz’s and Berger and Luckmann’s insights on social institutions and to confront them with current approaches.


Author(s):  
Daniela Griselda López

El tema de la prioridad conceptual del mundo de la vida con relación a cualquier especulación científica abstracta es el tema recurrente en los escritos tempranos de Alfred Schutz. En ellos, la reflexión en torno al mundo de la vida se constituye como la base y el fundamento para la posterior formación de conceptos en ciencias sociales. Particularmente inten-tamos recuperar lo puede denominarse como “reivindicación epistémica” (epistemic claim) de una sociología del mundo de la vida. Esa reivindicación se enmarca en el proyecto schutziano de fundamentación fenomenológica de las ciencias sociales, cuyos orígenes pueden rastrearse en las discusiones entabladas en el marco de la Escuela Austríaca de Economía. La reconstrucción de este debate nos permitió pensar el vínculo entre mundo de la vida y razón científica, de modo tal de evitar la sustitución de la realidad social por las idealidades y abstraccio-nes creadas por la ciencia.The question of conceptual priority of the life-world in relation to any abstract scientific speculation is a recurrent topic in Alfred Schutz´s early writings. There, the reflection on the life- world is constituted as the basis and the foundation for the posterior formation of concepts in social sciences. In particular, we will try to regain something that we could name “an epistemic claim” of a sociology of the life-world. This claim is part of Schutz’s project of phenomenological foundation of social sciences, which origins can be found in discussions among the members of Austrian School of Economics. The reconstruction of this debate has enabled us to think the link between the life-world and the scientific reason, in order to avoid the substitution of social reality by idealizations and abstractions created by the science.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ini Tanjung Tani ◽  
Moses Glorino Rumambo Pandin

The book "Alfred Schutz: Mainstreaming Phenomenology in the Tradition of Social Sciences" discusses the figure of Schutz regarding his phenomenological methodology which is not widely discussed in the academic world. Schutz himself is an important philosopher and sociologist because of his theory in sociology and philosophy studies. In the world of philosophy, he is a figure who studies the Husserlian tradition of phenomenology. Meanwhile, in the world of sociology himself, Schutz chose to explore Weber's methodological project. With the methodology proposed by Weber, he seeks to develop an interpretive methodology as an attempt to counter the tendency of the positivism tradition of science. The book was written to provide a discussion of the phenomenological methodology by Schutzian, which Schutz pioneered. Through his methodology, he taught that every individual is present in the stream of consciousness obtained from the process of reflecting on daily experiences. This book focuses on explaining the phenomenological methodology by Schutzian which later can become a reference for academics in Indonesia in developing the Schutzian methodology for Indonesian academics. In addition, this book also introduces Alfred Schutz as a critical intellectual who is not widely known, but whose thoughts and contributions have an impact on the world of social science.This book is written and aimed at Indonesian academics, especially in the realm of philosophy and sociology. Although the name Schutz himself lost to other philosophers, he had a very large contribution in the fields of philosophy and sociology, especially for science in Indonesia. The methodology adopted by Schutz has inspired many academics to read reality. It is evident from the many studies in Indonesia that use the phenomenology of the Schutz methodology. This phenomenology is used to read reality in society. As in research conducted by Ristia (2020), it was found that people have different opinions, this is due to the influence of the applied norms. These different opinions become absolute and become freedom by each individual. Research using the Schutz phenomenology method can also be used to explore types of phenomenology and ethnography. Research in the genre of "transcendental phenomenology" is a phenomenon outside the egos of the researcher because the source of truth can be obtained by direct observation of the natural surroundings. The author presents a biography of Alfred Schutz, who was a unique and influential intellectual but little known. The introduction of the background, politics, and culture in Schutz can inspire readers to get inspiration on Schutz's life. In addition, by knowing his background, readers will be able to analyze how a Schutz gets his thoughts. Apart from the history of Schutz's travels, its also provides a brief biography of Husserll. Husserll himself was an influential figure who influenced Schutz's thinking, he himself had the aim of building a scientific basis for philosophy and phenomenology in social science. Schutz's thoughts on phenomenology did not stop there, especially regarding sociology. Schutz's ideas were also continued by his students, such as Schutz himself who inherited knowledge from Husserll. Peter Berger and Luckmann, Schutz's students who could be said to shine were also briefly discussed in this book. They are both known for their work entitled The Social Construction of Reality, which is a work inspired by Schutz. Apart from the two of them, George Psathas, a Schutz student, will also be discussed briefly. Psathas himself prefers to discuss empirical studies in phenomenology which will later be useful for building knowledge about individuals in the subjective world.The book is very important for many people to know, because Alfred Schutz himself was an intellectual who was quite influential in the development of sociology for both the western and non-western worlds (such as Indonesia). The phenomenological study put forward by Schutz itself is a study that can be used by academics, especially sociologists to examine cases and realities in society. Indonesian sociologists and anthropologists can also apply Schutz's methodology and phenomenology studies to research Indonesian society. Indonesian academics have the opportunity to contribute to the scientific space globally to continue developing Schutz's ideas and thoughts. By reading the book, academics and readers will get inspiration from Schutz's thoughts that have been described. Indonesian academics have the opportunity to be involved in global academic activities. So that it is the right choice for academics (social science) to read and implement the knowledge that has been obtained into existing cases and realities.


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