The Sociology of Philosophies : A Global Theory of Intellectual Change

A comprehensive history of world philosophy, this book is also a social history of global intellectual life. Eschewing polemics, it presents a sophisticated view of the multiple cultures of world history, disintegrates stereotypes of regional cultures, and reveals how creativity is driven by a range of conflicting positions in each community. We see what is sociologically universal about Western, Indian, and Asian intellectual life, as well as what combinations of social ingredients have produced their divergent pathways. Through network diagrams and sustained narrative, Randall Collins traces the development of philosophical thought in China, Japan, India, ancient Greece, the medieval Islamic and Jewish world, medieval Christendom, and modern Europe. What emerges from this history is a general theory of intellectual life, one that avoids both the reduction of ideas to the influences of society at large and the purely contingent local construction of meanings. Instead, Collins focuses on the social locations where sophisticated ideas are formed: the patterns of intellectual networks and their inner divisions and conflicts. His theory describes how, when the material bases of intellectual life shift with the rise and fall of religions, educational systems, and publishing markets, opportunities open for some networks to expand while others shrink and close down. It locates individuals - among them celebrated thinkers like Socrates, Aristotle, Chu Hsi, Shankara, Wittgenstein, and Heidegger - within these networks and explains the emotional and symbolic processes that, by forming coalitions within the mind, ultimately bring about original and historically successful ideas. A self-reflexive sociological philosophy of intellectual life, Collins's work aims to open a path beyond relativsm and realism.

randall Collins Traces The Movement Of Philosophical Thought In Ancient Greece, China, Japan, India, The Medieval Islamic And Jewish World, Medieval Christendom, And Modern Europe. What Emerges From This History Is A Social Theory Of Intellectual Change, One That Avoids Both The Reduction Of Ideas To The Influences Of Society At Large And The Purely Contingent Local Construction Of Meanings. Instead, Collins Focuses On The Social Locations Where Sophisticated Ideas Are Formed: The Patterns Of Intellectual Networks And Their Inner Divisions And Conflicts.

library Journal

this Astonishing Book Testifies To Decades Of Research Through The Greater Part Of Philosophy--east And West. Collins, A University Of Pennsylvania Sociologist Who Has Written Many Basic Theoretical Works (sociological Insight, Oxford Univ., 1992) Attacks Myths Of The Origin And Spread Of Ideas About Knowledge And The World. He Demolishes At Least Two. One Is That Ideas Flow Ready-made From The Heads Of A Few Great Men. The Other Is That Ideas Are Created By Cultures. Collins Shows Again And Again That Small Groups Are The Source Of Innovation. They Are Often Stimulated By A Single Figure Who Tends To Move From Group To Group, But Several People Make A Contribution. Small Factual Errors Inevitably Turn Up In Such A Book, But Overall The Research Is Deep And Sound, And Years Of Debate Should Lead To Refinements. Right Now, This Is A Mine Of Valuable Information--meant For Academic Libraries But Really Fostering The Oldest Aims Of The Public Library. Written Without Pretense Or Jargon, It Reaches Out To The Ordinary Reader, Who Could Acquire A Rich Education In The Humanities Just By Following It Through.--leslie Armour, Dominican Coll. Of Philosophy & Theology, Ottawa

Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 18 Acknowledgments......Page 22 Introduction......Page 24 The Skeleton of Theory......Page 40 1. Coalitions in the Mind......Page 42 2. Networks across the Generations......Page 77 3. Partitioning Attention Space: The Case of Ancient Greece......Page 103 Part I: Asian Paths......Page 158 4. Innovation by Opposition: Ancient China......Page 160 5. External and Internal Politics of the Intellectual World: India......Page 200 6. Revolutions of the Organizational Base: Buddhist and Neo-Confucian China......Page 295 7. Innovation through Conservatism: Japan......Page 345 Conclusions to Part I: The Ingredients of Intellectual Life......Page 402 Part II: Western Paths......Page 408 8. Tensions of Indigenous and Imported Ideas: Islam, Judaism, Christendom......Page 410 9. Academic Expansion as a Two-Edged Sword: Medieval Christendom......Page 474 10. Cross-Breeding Networks and Rapid-Discovery Science......Page 546 11. Secularization and Philosophical Meta-territoriality......Page 593 12. Intellectuals Take Control of Their Base: The German University Revolution......Page 641 13. The Post-revolutionary Condition: Boundaries as Philosophical Puzzles......Page 711 14. Writers’ Markets and Academic Networks: The French Connection......Page 777 Meta-Reflections......Page 808 15. Sequence and Branch in the Social Production of Ideas......Page 810 Epilogue: Sociological Realism......Page 881 1. The Clustering of Contemporaneous Creativity......Page 906 2. The Incompleteness of Our Historical Picture......Page 913 3. Keys to Figures......Page 916 Notes......Page 970 References......Page 1058 Index of Persons......Page 1092 Index of Subjects......Page 1112 Contents 8 Preface 18 Acknowledgments 22 Introduction 24 The Skeleton of Theory 40 1. Coalitions in the Mind 42 2. Networks across the Generations 77 3. Partitioning Attention Space: The Case of Ancient Greece 103 Comparative History of Intellectual Communities 158 Part I: Asian Paths 158 4. Innovation by Opposition: Ancient China 160 5. External and Internal Politics of the Intellectual World: India 200 6. Revolutions of the Organizational Base: Buddhist and Neo-Confucian China 295 7. Innovation through Conservatism: Japan 345 Conclusions to Part I: The Ingredients of Intellectual Life 402 Part II: Western Paths 408 8. Tensions of Indigenous and Imported Ideas: Islam, Judaism, Christendom 410 9. Academic Expansion as a Two-Edged Sword: Medieval Christendom 474 10. Cross-Breeding Networks and Rapid-Discovery Science 546 11. Secularization and Philosophical Meta-territoriality 593 12. Intellectuals Take Control of Their Base: The German University Revolution 641 13. The Post-revolutionary Condition: Boundaries as Philosophical Puzzles 711 14. Writers’ Markets and Academic Networks: The French Connection 777 Meta-Reflections 808 15. Sequence and Branch in the Social Production of Ideas 810 Epilogue: Sociological Realism 881 Appendices 906 1. The Clustering of Contemporaneous Creativity 906 2. The Incompleteness of Our Historical Picture 913 3. Keys to Figures 916 Notes 970 References 1058 Index of Persons 1092 Index of Subjects 1112 "Through network diagrams and sustained narrative, Randall Collins traces the development of philosophical thought in China, Japan, India, ancient Greece, the medieval Islamic and Jewish world, medieval Christendom, and modern Europe. What emerges from this history is a general theory of intellectual life, one that avoids both the reduction of ideas to the influences of society at large and the purely contingent local construction of meanings. Instead, Collins focuses on the social locations where sophisticated ideas are formed: the patterns of intellectual networks and their inner divisions and conflicts. According to his theory, when the material bases of intellectual life shift with the rise and fall of religions, educational systems, and publishing markets, opportunities open for some networks to expand while others shrink and close down. It locates individuals - among them celebrated thinkers like Socrates, Aristotle, Chu Hsi, Shankara, Wirt Henstein, and Heidegger - within these networks and explains the emotional and symbolic processes that, by forming coalitions within the mind, ultimately bring about original and historically successful ideas."--Jacket Through network diagrams and sustained narrative, sociologist Randall Collins traces the development of philosophical thought from ancient Greece to modern Europe. Collins provides a self-reflexive sociological philosophy of intellectual life that opens a new path beyond relativism and realism. Illustrated.