The Sociology of Philosophical Knowledge (The New Synthese Historical Library, 48)

This volume brings together a number of authors that see themselves as contribu­ tors to, or critical commentators on, a new field that has recently emerged within the sociology of knowledge. This new field is 'the Sociology of Philosophical Knowledge' (SPK). Studying philosophers and their knowledge from broadly sociological or political perspectives is not, of course, a recent phenomenon. Marxist writers have used such perspectives throughout the twentieth century, and, since the sixties, feminist authors have also occasionally engaged in sociological analysis of philosophers' texts. What distinguishes SPK from these sociologies is that SPK is not engaged in a political struggle; indeed, SPK remains, in general, neutral with respect to the truth or falsity of the doctrines it studies. In doing so, SPK follows the 'strong programme' in the sociology of scientific knowledge. In 'Wittgenstein as a Conservative Thinker', David Bloor draws on the work of the sociologist Karl Mannheim in order to situate Wittgenstein's philosophy. Mannheim distinguished between two important styles of thought in the nine­ teenth century. The first, the 'natural law' ideology was associated with ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. It emphasized individualism, progress, and universal reason. The second style of thought was 'conservatism'. Front Matter....Pages i-xii Wittgenstein as a Conservative Thinker....Pages 1-14 The Sociology of Philosophical Knowledge: A Case Study and a Defense....Pages 15-38 Why did Gottlob Frege and Ernst Schröder Fail in their Attempts to Persuade German Philosophers of the Virtues of Mathematical Logic?....Pages 39-59 Painting an Icon: Gaston Bachelard and the Philosophical Beard....Pages 61-91 The Agonistic Ethic and the Spirit of Inquiry: On the Greek Origins of Theorizing....Pages 93-123 Politics and Patterns of Developing Indigenous Knowledge under Western Disciplinary Compartmentalization: The Case of Philosophical Schools in Modern China and Japan....Pages 125-153 Reflexivity and Social Embeddedness in the History of Ethical Philosophies....Pages 155-178 The Contextualism of Philosophy....Pages 179-191 Sociological Accounts and the History of Philosophy....Pages 193-211 Back Matter....Pages 213-221

Until 30 years ago, most sociologists believed that only knowledge in the humanities and social sciences is open to sociological analysis. This is no longer the case: a large number of studies have shown that the knowledge of science and technology also has the character of social institutions. The success of sociologists in understanding the social dimensions of science and technology has led to a relative decline of sociological studies of the humanities in general, philosophy in particular. This anthology seeks to correct that neglect. The authors seek to show that contextual and sociological sensitivity is crucial to an understanding of the very content of philosophical positions and controversies, and for recapturing the contingency in the history of philosophy.
Readership: All students of the history of philosophy and sociologists of knowledge.

The authors seek to show that contextual and sociological sensitivity is crucial to an understanding of the very content of philosophical positions and controversies, and for recapturing the contingency in the history of philosophy." "Audience: All students of the history of philosophy and sociologists of knowledge."--Jacket