Discourse and Knowledge: The Making of Enlightenment Sociology (Liverpool University Press - Studies in European Regional Cultures)

By closely analyzing the contributions of such theorists as More, Hobbes, Vico, Montesquieu, Ferguson and Millar to the emergence of sociology in its original form, Piet Strydom follows the discursive construction of sociology in the context of the society-wide early modern practical discourse about violence and rights. Parallels with the nineteenth- and twentieth-century discourse on poverty and justice and the contemporary discourse of risk and responsibility allow the author to reflect not only on the generation of knowledge through discourse but also on the role that sociology itself plays in this process. Booknews Rather than assuming the dual revolution as watershed, Strydom (sociology, National U. of Ireland-Cork) goes back before the French Revolution and the industrial revolution to what he calls the communicative revolution as the spawning ground for sociology. His main theme is the role played by discourse in the construction of knowledge, which he develops by analyzing closely a neglected period in the history of sociology. Distributed by ISBS. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) 0853238057......Page 1 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 7 Preface......Page 8 Part I: Theory of Discourse and Discourse Analysis......Page 36 Introduction: From Presentism and Historicism to Discourse......Page 38 CHAPTER 1: Introduction: Discourse and Sociology......Page 10 CHAPTER 2: Theory of Discourse......Page 43 CHAPTER 3: Sociological Theory of Discourse......Page 62 CHAPTER 4: Discourse of Modernity......Page 77 CHAPTER 5: Sociological Discourse Analysis......Page 86 PART II: Discourse of Modernity and the Construction of Sociology......Page 100 Introduction: Crisis Discourseand Sociology......Page 102 CHAPTER 6: The Early Modern Problem of Violence......Page 105 CHAPTER 7: The Rights Discourse......Page 130 CHAPTER 8: Contributions to Enlightenment Sociology......Page 191 CHAPTER 9: Discursive Construction of Enlightenment Sociology......Page 242 CHAPTER 10: Crisis and Critique: The Relation between Social and Political Theory......Page 266 Bibliography......Page 312 Index of Names......Page 339 Subject Index......Page 344 By closely analysing the contributions of such theorists as More, Hobbes, Vico, Montesquieu, Ferguson and Millar to the emergence of sociology in its original form, this book follows the discursive construction of sociology in the context of the society-wide early modern practical discourse about violence and rights. Parallels with the nineteenth- and twentieth-century discourse on poverty and justice, and the contemporary discourse of risk and responsibility, allow the author for a reflection not only on the generation of knowledge through discourse but also on the role that sociology itself plays in this process By closely analysing the contributions of such theorists as More, Hobbes, Vico, Montesquieu, Ferguson and Millar to the emergence of sociology in its original form, Piet Strydom follows the discursive construction of sociology in the context of the society-wide early modern practical discourse about violence and rights. Parallels with the nineteenth - and twentieth-century discourse on poverty and justice and the contemporary discourse of risk and responsibility allow the author to reflect not only on the generation of knowledge through discourse but also on the role that sociology itself plays in this process. Ethical disagreement is a fact of social life. We disagree about issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the meaning of justice and the treatment of animals, and our debates often fail to reach a consensus. Some philosophers think that this means there is no objective knowledge about morality. Discourse and Knowledge takes a radically different approach to the defence of ethical rationality. It claims that there is a correct solution to ethical controversies, but that ethical decisions have to be made collectively. Written specifically for those studying or teaching ethics or moral theory,Discou This Text Offers An Original Interpretation Of The Rise Of Sociology From A Contemporary Point Of View. The Book Goes Back Behind The French Revolution And The Industrial Revolution In Order To Start From The More Pervasive Communication Revolution. Piet Strydom. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 303-329) And Index.