Social science between neo-Kantianism and philosophy of life

the cases of Weber, Simmel, and Mannheim

Daniel Šuber

pp. 267-290

in: Uljana Feest (ed), Historical perspectives on Erklären and Verstehen, Berlin, Springer, 2010

Abstract

In recent years, a group of social scientists have credited Wilhelm Dilthey with the status of a "classical sociological theorist" (Bakker 1999) and a key figure with regard to the establishment of the social sciences since the last decades of the nineteenth century.¹ Such evaluations stand in distinct contrast to Dilthey's reputation as a firm critic of sociology on the one hand and his dubious standing within his proper field, philosophy, on the other, where he is perceived as a failed epistemologist. Generally, his influence on social and cultural science is associated with his notion of Erleben and understanding as fundamental categories for the interpretive sciences and their unique relatedness to their particular subject. On the basis of this starting point, he eventually established a division between Verstehen and Erklären and, correspondingly, human and natural sciences.

Cited authors

Kant Immanuel

Dilthey Wilhelm

Simmel Georg

Mannheim Karl

Weber Marianne