Lecture 17 Flashcards
1
Q
What is rationalization ?
A
- Weber does not refer to rationalisation or elemination, he means the use of knowledge to increase control over the world
- definition: The organization of life through a division and coordination of activities based on an exact setting of human relation with each other, tools, and environment, for the purpose of achieving greater efficiency
- it represents an attempt to dominate the world
2
Q
What is formal/instrumental rationality ?
A
- impersonal, quantitative calculations
- involves most efficient means to achieve a given end, and the value of this end in not important
3
Q
What is substantive rationality ?
A
- value rational behaviour, the value of the end is more important than the means of achieving it
4
Q
How does Weber view rationality?
A
- in modern societies there is always tension between these two forms of rationality
- Weber views rationality as prodominant in modern society
- he argues that rationalization is not the inevetible goal of world evolution
- He sees rationalization as a biproduct of the activity of certain types of human beings
5
Q
What is disenchantment?
A
- The world becomes increasingly an artificial product made by human beings
- Weber argues that with this progress in society, people have stopped believing in things like mystery, emotion, tradition and morality as they become more rational
- Weber argues that humans have lost their sense of prophecy, and above all, their sense of the sacred.
- Weber says without these things, reality becomes dreary and there is a hole in the soul of human beings.
6
Q
How does Weber think humans fill this void of disenchantment?
A
- humans hold to things that are unsure, unproven, and become involved in unrelated experiences.
- Weber feels that rationalization brings despair and cynicism, that people suffer due to being rational and hanging on to promises of tomorrow.
- Weber states rationalization makes people believe that happiness is for their kids, their grandkids, for the people of tomorrow – and so Weber questions why can we not have happiness today.
7
Q
What does Weber say about death?
A
- death has become meaningless, and without meaning there is no rationality.
- Fears the “iron cage” of rationalization – state control over our lives, that rationalization threatens freedom and autonomy.
8
Q
What are the two solutions to the iron cage of rationalization?
A
1) either go back to tranquility of old churches and the dogma of religion (go back in time)
2) face future with courage – fortitude in dealing with tasks that may or may not make us happy (suck it up)
9
Q
What is general knowledge ?
A
- human beings become over-confident in their own creations.
- With rationalization, people have access to devices, instruments, and so their specialty is not a reflection of their knowledge but instead of modernization.
- Believes rationality leaves people with no accurate knowledge of the economy or politics, and that people in modern society have no actual knowledge of what is going on and is content with appearances, accepting the fact that we depend on other people to be specialized in what they do/make (food, tools, ect).
- Modern individual believes that with very little effort, they can understand products and technology.
10
Q
How does Weber view rationalization?
A
- rationalization promotes laziness and pragmatism, and argues that rationalization neither signifies progress nor does it bring about a better understanding of our way of living.
- Increase in rationalization does not signify that there is an increase in our knowledge of daily life. We may be more rational, but we are not more knowledge.
- The increase of rationalization in the world makes us believe we can learn, do, make anything at any point in time.
11
Q
How does Weber classify progress?
A
- Progress can only be made in the realm of science and tech, while the accumulation of science makes dicoveries possible
- only the quantitative is capable of progress, and not the qualitative
- Did not want to attach value to rationalization, fears that rationalization is oppressive.
- Argues that rationalization should not be confused with progress and the triumph of reason, nor does it make people moral or kind, and does not bring people more autonomy
- even the most far-reaching rationalization is uncapable of surmounting or accounting for the conflicts or tensions that arise from the multiplicity of evaluation and possible goals +
- With increased rational, people become more subordinate, “slaves the soul to bureaucratization”
12
Q
rationalization in Europe
A
- Weber believes this civilization (Europe) has something to do with a particular rationality, even though rationalization is universal to all societies.
- While all civilizations have their own form of rationalization, other civils don’t have their own forces of expansion that western civilization contains.
- Difference of rationality and irrationality is based in values
13
Q
The singularity of Western culture
A
- Weber believes that western culture has distinctive features that involves all types of values and culture
14
Q
Whats the Avarice vs. Moderation and Calculation debate about capitalism?
A
- claims the pursuit of profit has nothing to do with capitalism, per say, says that this behaviour can be seen in all sorts of people.
- this pursuit of profit is seen all throughout history.
- Says avarice has nothing to do with the spirit of capitalism.
- Capitalism involves the constant renewal of profitability.
- Monetary gains based on force, violence, is not the same as action that is meant to profit from exchange.
- When pursuit of profit is rational, the action is based on capital calculation and exchange.
15
Q
3 important developments that helped the expansion of capitalism
A
- The rational capitalist organization of formerly free labor
- The separation of the household from the workplace
- The practice of rational book-keeping
