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Georg Simmel. By: Brandon Donahue, Holly Figueroa, Tye Cooper. Concepts and Contributions. Formal Sociology The Dialectical Approach Social Geometry Superiordination and Subordination. Formal Sociology.
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Georg Simmel By: Brandon Donahue, Holly Figueroa, Tye Cooper
Concepts and Contributions Formal Sociology The Dialectical Approach Social Geometry Superiordination and Subordination
Formal Sociology • To simplify the “maze of reality”, people impose order and find patterns. This is reflected in behavior. • Behavior is unique in content, but can be categorized as a form of interaction. • Despite the variation of content we see in people and cultures, the mechanisms and motivations that create these qualities are the same (i.e., imitation and competition, ). • Society is a process and sociology should seek to study the various forms of human interaction that make society.
The Dialectical Approach “The forms of social life impress themselves upon each individual and allow him to become specifically human. At the same time, they imprison and stultify the human personality by regressing the free play of spontaneity.” • Individuals and the forms of interaction we involve ourselves in have multi-directional and multi-causal impact on each other.
Social Geometry • Simmel’s way of quantify interactions • Social Distance – An abstract measure of how close something is to an individual or group. • Numbers- Interactions are effected by the amount of people in a group. • Dyad – Two people interacting have the potential for the strongest of bonds • Tryads – Adding a third person can radically change interactions of group members, and these varied effects are found in all groups sizes three or larger.
Superiordination and Subordination • The relationship between leaders and their subordinates is the most important form of relationship to Simmel. • Expresses psychological differences in humans • To be a subordinate is not merely passive, but involves some degree of choice.
Concepts and Contributions Sociability Secrecy The Secret Society Philosophy of Money Exchange Mass Culture
Sociability -Defined -Characteristics (A.-J.): • A. Tact and Impersonality • B. Sociability Thresholdsd • C. The Democratic Nature of Sociability
Characteristics • D. The Artificial World of Sociability • E. Social Games • F. Coquetry • G. Conversation
Characteristics • H. Sociability as the Play-Form of Ethical Problems and of Their Solution • I. Historical Illustrations • J. The “Superficial” Character of Sociability
Concepts and Contributions • Secrecy • Secret Society • “The Philosophy of Money” (1907) -Relation to Social Geometry
Concepts and Contributions • Exchange • Mass Culture - Characteristics - Relation to Value - Problems of Mass Culture - Simmel’s “The Metropolis and Mental Life” (1903) - Emotional Reserve, Attachment to Personal Freedom, and Willingness to Seek Out and Reward Extreme Individuality
Relevancy • Spirtual Life Theory in his Works • Creation of Categories in Interactions • Simmel’s idea of the stranger
Relevancy • Social Geometry • Diffusion of Responsibility • Philosophies on Money