Schutz on reducing social tensions

Lester Embree

pp. 81-102

in: Kevin Thompson, Lester Embree (eds), Phenomenology of the political, Berlin, Springer, 2000

Abstract

Is the thinking of Alfred Schutz conservative? Is he a conservative because he urges value-neutral research, i.e., does he in effect support the status quo by not working to change it? To defend him, one might contend, positively, that theoretical knowledge is the best foundation for valuing and action and, negatively, that immediate ethical and political purposes distort theoretical efforts to lay such foundations. In that case, however, the question arises of whether Schutz ever gets beyond theory to practical application or at least urges doing so.

Cited authors

Schütz Alfred