Psychology Quote by Peter L. Berger
““Durkheim tells us: “The first and most fundamental rule is: Consider social facts as things.”27 And Weber observes: “Both for sociology in the present sense, and for history, the object of cognition is the subjective meaning-complex of action.”28 These two statements are not contradictory. Society does indeed possess objective facticity. And society is indeed built up by activity that expresses subjective meaning. And, incidentally, Durkheim knew the latter, just as Weber knew the former. It is precisely the dual character of society in terms of objective facticity and subjective meaning that makes its “reality sui generis,” to use another key term of Durkheim’s. The central question for sociological theory can then be put as follows: How is it possible that subjective meanings become objective facticities? Or, in terms appropriate to the aforementioned theoretical positions: How is it possible that human activity (Handeln) should produce a world of things (choses)? In other words, an adequate understanding of the “reality sui generis” of society requires an inquiry into the manner in which this reality is constructed.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Social Construction of Reality, Peter L. Berger & Thomas Luckmann, 1966
The passage explains that society has both objective facts and subjective meanings, and that human actions transform meanings into tangible realities.
In simple terms: Society blends objective facts with personal meanings, created by human actions.
Key Takeaway
Understand how actions shape social reality.
Themes
sociology
ontology
meaning
construction
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
theoretical
educational
When to use this quote
- academic study
- theoretical analysis
- education
- policy making
Key Concepts
social facts
subjective meaning
objective reality
human agency
Questions to Reflect On
- How do everyday actions create social structures?
- In what ways can we change objective facts through meaning?
A Different Perspective
Complex theories may be abstract for everyday use.
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