Durkheim and the concept of moral

Résumé du document

In the early days of his intellectual career, Durkheim was not concerned specifically with "sociology", but intended to study scientifically "moral phenomena" with a "physical conduct"; a failed project as is evidenced by the writing of his last unfinished work: "Morality". This work reflects the paradox of a writer who dreams of founding a science of morals, and who actually participated in the institutional foundation of sociology. Today rereading articles dealing with Durkheim's concept of morality seems to have a double interest: reintegrate moral facts as objects of sociological understanding of the foundations and challenges of the Durkheimian approach.

Extraits

[...] In the same vein, Durkheim distinguishes the moral standard of moral pathology. According to him, morality is pathological when there is no boundary between what is blameworthy or fair. For example, the level of "professional ethics" in the late 19th century, Durkheim notes a state of "moral crisis" we do not know what the relationship should be boss / worker - he openly denounces the fact that bosses rather quickly forget what they owe to workers. The notion of a moral According to Durkheim, morality consists of a set of rules and maxims (more or less formalized), the special characteristics that differentiate them from other rules and standards. [...]

[...] ) Only times that are morally divided are inventive in matters of morality. When traditional morality is not challenged, when you do not feel the need to renew moral reflection languishes. (16). In this logic, if a corporation too deeply permeated the consciousness of individuals society would be in a situation that would make impossible any social adjustment. More interestingly, Durkheim notes that in special cases, the deviance may be the cause of social change: "The existence of a crime was a utility generally indirect and sometimes direct, indirect, because the crime could not stop being that if the collective consciousness needed for individual consciences with an authority so that any unavoidable moral transformation would rendered impossible, direct, in that sometimes, but sometimes only the criminal was a precursor of morality to come. [...]

[...] Durkheim, "Determination of moral" in sociology and philosophy, Paris, PUF p Idem, p Idem, p C. Bougie, sociology lessons on changing values, Paris, Armand Colin p E. Durkheim, "Introduction to Morality," op. cit, p J. Duvignaud, Heresy and subversion: tests on anomie, Paris, La Découverte Durkheim sees the dynamics of societies as something "progressive." He is also opposed to revolutions, and other sudden changes of society (Durkheim, "internationalism and class struggle" in science and social action, Paris, PUF, 1987). E. Durkheim, "Introduction to Morality," op. [...]

[...] These "value judgments" are not restricted to be appreciative - they are also attributes and then constitute an obstacle to individual desires by opposing resistance to the "spontaneity" and "own preferences" (12). Morality and Social Change fortiori it is so human nature: the story is not only the natural setting of human life, man is a product of history. If the fate of history, if we try to conceive outside of time, fixed, immovable, it is distorted. This man is still more the man. (13). The concept of anomie is the central concept of "ethical science" Durkheim: Anomie is the negation of society and therefore morality. [...]

[...] World War I broke off hopes. Today reread articles dealing with Durkheim's concept of morality seems to have at least a double interest: reintegrate moral facts as object sociological understanding of the foundations and challenges of the Durkheimian approach. Physics of morals Durkheim notes the lack of methods used usually by moralists usually whether an act is moral or not, it compares with the general formulas - laws - or "how they are built just for ensure they can be seen as subjective and more or less approximate He proposes to replace these subjective views intellectual posture that seeks to know and understand them scientifically Only physics of morals", a science study and reform of legal rules, would meet these requirements. [...]