winch, peter - the idea of a social science€¦ · 42 the idea of a social science grasp of what...

41
40 CHAPTER TWO THE NATURE OF MEANINGFUL BEHAVIOUR 1. Philosophy and Sociology I N Section 7 of the last chapter I tried to indicate in a general way how philosophy, conceived as the study of the nature of man’s understanding of reality, may be expected to illuminate the nature of human interrelations in society. The discussion of Wittgenstein in Sections 8 and 9 has borne out that presumption. For it has shown that the philosophical elucidation of human intelligence, and the notions associated with this, requires that these notions be placed in the context of the relations between men in society. In so far as there has been a genuine revolution in philosophy in recent years, perhaps it lies in the emphasis on that fact and in the profound working out of its consequences, which we find in Wittgenstein’s work. ‘What has to be accepted, the given, is—so one could say—forms of life.’ (37:II, xi, p. 226e.) I said earlier that the relation between epistemology and the peripheral branches of philosophy was that the former concerned the general conditions under which it is possible to speak of understanding while the latter concerned the peculiar 41 NATURE OF MEANINGFUL BEHAVIOUR forms which understanding takes in particular kinds of context. Wittgenstein’s remark suggests a possibility of rephrasing this: whereas the philosophies of science, of art, of history, etc., will have the task of elucidating the peculiar natures of those forms of life called ‘science’, ‘art’, etc., epistemology will try to elucidate what is involved in the notion of a form of life as such. Wittgenstein’s analysis of the concept of following a rule and his account of the peculiar kind of interpersonal agreement which this involves is a contribution to that epistemological elucidation. This conclusion has important consequences for our conception of the social studies; particularly the theoretical part of general sociology and the foundations of social psychology. As is well known, there has always been some dispute about the role which sociology ought to play vis-à-vis the other social studies. Some have thought that sociology should be the social science par excellence, synthesising the results of special social studies, like economic and political theory, into a unified theory of society in general. Others, however, have wanted to regard sociology simply as one social science on the same level as all the others, confined to a restricted subject-matter of its own. However, whichever of these views one adopts, one can in the end hardly avoid including in sociology a discussion of the nature of social phenomena in general; and this is bound to occupy a special place amongst the various disciplines devoted to the study of society. For all these disciplines are in one way or another concerned with social phenomena and require, therefore, a clear

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  • 40

    CH

    AP

    TE

    R T

    WO

    TH

    E N

    AT

    UR

    E O

    F M

    EA

    NIN

    GF

    UL

    BE

    HA

    VIO

    UR

    1.

    Ph

    ilo

    sop

    hy a

    nd

    So

    cio

    log

    y

    IN S

    ecti

    on

    7 o

    f th

    e l

    ast

    ch

    ap

    ter

    I tr

    ied

    to

    in

    dic

    ate

    in

    a g

    en

    era

    l w

    ay

    h

    ow

    p

    hil

    oso

    ph

    y,

    co

    nc

    eiv

    ed

    a

    s th

    e

    stu

    dy

    of

    the n

    atu

    re o

    f m

    an

    ’s u

    nd

    ers

    tan

    din

    g o

    f re

    ali

    ty,

    may

    b

    e ex

    pecte

    d to

    il

    lum

    inate

    th

    e n

    atu

    re o

    f h

    um

    an

    inte

    rre

    lati

    on

    s

    in

    so

    cie

    ty.

    Th

    e

    dis

    cu

    ssio

    n

    of

    Wit

    tgen

    stein

    in

    S

    ecti

    on

    s 8

    an

    d 9

    h

    as

    bo

    rne o

    ut

    that

    pre

    sum

    pti

    on

    . F

    or

    it h

    as

    sho

    wn

    th

    at

    the p

    hil

    oso

    ph

    ical

    elu

    cid

    ati

    on

    o

    f h

    um

    an

    in

    tell

    ige

    nc

    e,

    an

    d th

    e n

    oti

    on

    s

    ass

    ocia

    ted

    w

    ith

    th

    is,

    req

    uir

    es

    that

    these

    n

    oti

    on

    s b

    e

    pla

    ced

    in

    th

    e c

    on

    tex

    t o

    f th

    e r

    ela

    tio

    ns

    betw

    een

    men

    in

    so

    cie

    ty.

    In

    so

    fa

    r a

    s

    the

    re

    ha

    s

    be

    en

    a

    g

    en

    uin

    e

    rev

    olu

    tio

    n in

    p

    hil

    oso

    ph

    y in

    re

    cen

    t y

    ears

    , p

    erh

    ap

    s it

    lies

    in t

    he e

    mp

    hasi

    s o

    n t

    hat

    fact

    an

    d i

    n t

    he p

    rofo

    un

    d

    wo

    rkin

    g o

    ut

    of

    its

    co

    nse

    qu

    en

    ces,

    w

    hic

    h w

    e fi

    nd

    in

    Wit

    tgen

    stein

    ’s w

    ork

    . ‘W

    hat

    has

    to b

    e accep

    ted

    , th

    e

    giv

    en

    , is

    —so

    on

    e c

    ou

    ld s

    ay

    —fo

    rms

    of

    life

    .’ (

    37

    :II,

    xi,

    p.

    22

    6e.)

    I sa

    id

    ea

    rlie

    r th

    at

    the

    re

    lati

    on

    b

    etw

    ee

    n

    ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    y

    an

    d

    the

    p

    eri

    ph

    era

    l b

    ran

    ch

    es

    of

    ph

    ilo

    sop

    hy

    was

    that

    the f

    orm

    er

    co

    ncern

    ed

    th

    e g

    en

    era

    l

    co

    nd

    itio

    ns u

    nd

    er

    wh

    ich

    it

    is

    p

    ossib

    le to

    sp

    ea

    k o

    f

    un

    ders

    tan

    din

    g w

    hil

    e t

    he l

    att

    er

    co

    ncern

    ed

    th

    e p

    ecu

    liar

    41

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    form

    s w

    hic

    h u

    nd

    ers

    tan

    din

    g ta

    kes

    in p

    art

    icu

    lar

    kin

    ds

    of

    co

    nte

    xt.

    W

    ittg

    en

    ste

    in’s

    re

    ma

    rk

    su

    gg

    ests

    a

    po

    ssib

    ilit

    y

    of

    rep

    hra

    sin

    g

    this

    : w

    he

    rea

    s

    the

    ph

    ilo

    sop

    hie

    s o

    f sc

    ien

    ce,

    of

    art

    , o

    f h

    isto

    ry,

    etc

    ., w

    ill

    hav

    e th

    e ta

    sk o

    f elu

    cid

    ati

    ng

    th

    e p

    ecu

    liar

    natu

    res

    of

    tho

    se

    fo

    rms

    of

    life

    c

    all

    ed

    ‘s

    cie

    nc

    e’,

    ‘a

    rt’,

    e

    tc.,

    ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    y w

    ill

    try

    to

    elu

    cid

    ate

    wh

    at

    is i

    nv

    olv

    ed

    in

    the n

    oti

    on

    o

    f a fo

    rm o

    f li

    fe as

    such

    . W

    ittg

    en

    stein

    ’s

    an

    aly

    sis

    of

    the co

    ncep

    t o

    f fo

    llo

    win

    g a ru

    le an

    d h

    is

    ac

    co

    un

    t o

    f th

    e

    pe

    cu

    lia

    r k

    ind

    o

    f in

    terp

    ers

    on

    al

    ag

    reem

    en

    t w

    hic

    h t

    his

    inv

    olv

    es

    is a

    co

    ntr

    ibu

    tio

    n t

    o t

    hat

    ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    ical

    elu

    cid

    ati

    on

    .

    Th

    is c

    on

    clu

    sio

    n h

    as

    imp

    ort

    an

    t c

    on

    seq

    ue

    nc

    es

    for

    ou

    r co

    ncep

    tio

    n o

    f th

    e s

    ocia

    l st

    ud

    ies;

    part

    icu

    larl

    y t

    he

    the

    ore

    tic

    al

    pa

    rt

    of

    ge

    ne

    ral

    so

    cio

    log

    y

    an

    d

    the

    fou

    nd

    ati

    on

    s o

    f so

    cia

    l p

    sych

    olo

    gy.

    As

    is w

    ell

    k

    no

    wn

    ,

    there

    h

    as

    alw

    ay

    s b

    een

    so

    me d

    isp

    ute

    ab

    ou

    t th

    e ro

    le

    wh

    ich

    so

    cio

    log

    y o

    ug

    ht

    to p

    lay

    v

    is-à

    -vis

    th

    e o

    the

    r

    so

    cia

    l stu

    die

    s.

    So

    me

    h

    av

    e

    tho

    ug

    ht

    tha

    t so

    cio

    log

    y

    sh

    ou

    ld

    be

    th

    e

    so

    cia

    l sc

    ien

    ce

    p

    ar

    ex

    ce

    lle

    nc

    e,

    syn

    thesi

    sin

    g t

    he r

    esu

    lts

    of

    specia

    l so

    cia

    l st

    ud

    ies,

    lik

    e

    eco

    no

    mic

    an

    d p

    oli

    tical

    theo

    ry,

    into

    a u

    nif

    ied

    th

    eo

    ry o

    f

    socie

    ty in

    g

    en

    era

    l. O

    thers

    , h

    ow

    ev

    er,

    h

    av

    e w

    an

    ted

    to

    reg

    ard

    so

    cio

    log

    y s

    imp

    ly a

    s o

    ne s

    ocia

    l sc

    ien

    ce o

    n t

    he

    sam

    e l

    ev

    el

    as

    all

    th

    e o

    thers

    , co

    nfi

    ned

    to

    a r

    est

    ricte

    d

    su

    bje

    ct-

    ma

    tte

    r o

    f it

    s o

    wn

    . H

    ow

    ev

    er,

    w

    hic

    hev

    er

    of

    these

    v

    iew

    s o

    ne ad

    op

    ts,

    on

    e can

    in

    th

    e en

    d h

    ard

    ly

    av

    oid

    in

    clu

    din

    g

    in

    so

    cio

    log

    y

    a

    dis

    cu

    ssio

    n

    of

    the

    na

    ture

    o

    f so

    cia

    l p

    he

    no

    me

    na

    in

    g

    en

    era

    l; a

    nd

    th

    is is

    bo

    un

    d t

    o o

    ccu

    py

    a s

    pecia

    l p

    lace a

    mo

    ng

    st t

    he v

    ari

    ou

    s

    dis

    cip

    lin

    es

    dev

    ote

    d to

    th

    e st

    ud

    y o

    f so

    cie

    ty.

    Fo

    r all

    these

    dis

    cip

    lin

    es

    are

    in

    on

    e w

    ay

    or

    an

    oth

    er

    co

    ncern

    ed

    wit

    h s

    ocia

    l p

    hen

    om

    en

    a a

    nd

    req

    uir

    e,

    there

    fore

    , a c

    lear

  • 42

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    gra

    sp o

    f w

    hat

    is in

    vo

    lved

    in

    th

    e co

    ncep

    t o

    f a so

    cia

    l

    ph

    en

    om

    en

    on

    . M

    ore

    ov

    er,

    all

    th

    e s

    ub

    jects

    of

    inv

    est

    igati

    on

    wh

    ich

    are

    att

    rib

    ute

    d t

    oso

    cio

    log

    y,

    urb

    an

    ism

    , ra

    ce c

    on

    tacts

    , so

    cia

    l st

    rati

    ficati

    on

    ,o

    r th

    e r

    ela

    tio

    ns

    betw

    een

    so

    cia

    l co

    nd

    itio

    ns

    an

    d m

    en

    tal

    co

    nst

    ructi

    on

    s (W

    isse

    nss

    ozi

    olo

    gie

    ), are

    in

    fa

    ct

    dif

    ficu

    ltto

    iso

    late

    , an

    d h

    av

    e t

    he c

    hara

    cte

    r o

    f to

    tal

    ph

    en

    om

    en

    aw

    hic

    h a

    re c

    on

    necte

    d w

    ith

    so

    cie

    ty a

    s a w

    ho

    le a

    nd

    wit

    hth

    e n

    atu

    re o

    f so

    cie

    ty.

    (2:

    p.

    11

    9.)

    Bu

    t to

    un

    ders

    tan

    d t

    he n

    atu

    re o

    f so

    cia

    l p

    hen

    om

    en

    a i

    n

    gen

    era

    l, t

    o e

    lucid

    ate

    , th

    at

    is,

    the c

    on

    cep

    t o

    f a ‘

    form

    of

    life

    ’,

    ha

    s

    be

    en

    sh

    ow

    n

    to

    be

    p

    rec

    ise

    ly

    the

    a

    im

    of

    ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    y.

    It

    is

    tru

    e

    tha

    t th

    e

    ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    ist’

    s

    sta

    rtin

    g p

    oin

    t is

    ra

    the

    r d

    iffe

    ren

    t fr

    om

    th

    at

    of

    the

    socio

    log

    ist

    bu

    t, i

    f W

    ittg

    en

    stein

    ’s a

    rgu

    men

    ts a

    re s

    ou

    nd

    ,

    that

    is w

    hat

    he m

    ust

    so

    on

    er

    or

    late

    r co

    ncern

    him

    self

    wit

    h.

    Th

    at

    mean

    s th

    at

    the r

    ela

    tio

    ns

    betw

    een

    so

    cio

    log

    y

    an

    d ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    y m

    ust

    b

    e d

    iffe

    ren

    t fr

    om

    , an

    d v

    ery

    mu

    ch

    clo

    ser

    than

    , w

    hat

    is u

    suall

    y i

    mag

    ined

    to

    be t

    he

    ca

    se

    . T

    he

    a

    cc

    ep

    ted

    v

    iew

    ru

    ns,

    I th

    ink

    , ro

    ug

    hly

    a

    s

    foll

    ow

    s. A

    ny

    in

    tell

    ectu

    al

    dis

    cip

    lin

    e m

    ay,

    at

    on

    e t

    ime

    or

    an

    oth

    er,

    ru

    n in

    to p

    hil

    oso

    ph

    ical

    dif

    ficu

    ltie

    s, w

    hic

    h

    oft

    en

    hera

    ld a

    rev

    olu

    tio

    n i

    n t

    he f

    un

    dam

    en

    tal

    theo

    ries

    an

    d w

    hic

    h fo

    rm te

    mp

    ora

    ry o

    bst

    acle

    s in

    th

    e p

    ath

    o

    f

    ad

    van

    cin

    g sc

    ien

    tifi

    c en

    qu

    iry.

    Th

    e d

    iffi

    cu

    ltie

    s in

    th

    e

    co

    ncep

    tio

    n o

    f si

    mu

    ltan

    eit

    y w

    hic

    h E

    inst

    ein

    had

    to

    face

    an

    d

    wh

    ich

    p

    resa

    ge

    d

    the

    fo

    rmu

    lati

    on

    o

    f th

    e

    rev

    olu

    tio

    nary

    Sp

    ecia

    l T

    heo

    ry o

    f R

    ela

    tiv

    ity,

    pro

    vid

    e a

    n

    ex

    am

    ple

    . T

    ho

    se

    d

    iffi

    cu

    ltie

    s

    bo

    re

    ma

    ny

    o

    f th

    e

    ch

    ara

    cte

    risti

    cs

    wh

    ich

    o

    ne

    a

    sso

    cia

    tes

    wit

    h

    ph

    ilo

    so

    ph

    ica

    l p

    uz

    zle

    me

    nt

    an

    d

    the

    y

    we

    re

    no

    tab

    ly

    dif

    fere

    nt

    fro

    m

    the

    te

    ch

    nic

    al

    the

    ore

    tic

    al

    pro

    ble

    ms

    43

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    wh

    ich

    are

    so

    lved

    in

    th

    e n

    orm

    al

    pro

    cess

    of

    ad

    van

    cin

    g

    scie

    nti

    fic e

    nq

    uir

    y.

    No

    w i

    t is

    oft

    en

    su

    pp

    ose

    d t

    hat

    new

    ly

    dev

    elo

    pin

    g d

    iscip

    lin

    es,

    wit

    h n

    o s

    ett

    led

    basi

    s o

    f th

    eo

    ry

    on

    w

    hic

    h to

    b

    uil

    d fu

    rth

    er

    rese

    arc

    h,

    are

    p

    art

    icu

    larl

    y

    pro

    ne t

    o t

    hro

    w u

    p p

    hil

    oso

    ph

    ical

    pu

    zzle

    s; b

    ut

    that

    this

    is a te

    mp

    ora

    ry st

    ag

    e w

    hic

    h sh

    ou

    ld b

    e li

    ved

    th

    rou

    gh

    an

    d t

    hen

    sh

    ak

    en

    off

    as

    soo

    n a

    s p

    oss

    ible

    . B

    ut,

    in

    my

    vie

    w,

    it w

    ou

    ld b

    e w

    ron

    g t

    o s

    ay

    th

    is o

    f so

    cio

    log

    y;

    for

    the p

    hil

    oso

    ph

    ical

    pro

    ble

    ms

    wh

    ich

    ari

    se t

    here

    are

    no

    t

    tire

    so

    me

    fo

    reig

    n

    bo

    die

    s

    wh

    ich

    m

    ust

    be

    re

    mo

    ve

    d

    befo

    re s

    ocio

    log

    y c

    an

    ad

    van

    ce o

    n i

    ts o

    wn

    in

    dep

    en

    den

    t

    scie

    nti

    fic l

    ines.

    On

    th

    e c

    on

    trary

    , th

    e c

    en

    tral

    pro

    ble

    m

    of

    socio

    log

    y,

    that

    of

    giv

    ing

    an

    acco

    un

    t o

    f th

    e n

    atu

    re

    of

    so

    cia

    l p

    he

    no

    me

    na

    in

    g

    en

    era

    l, it

    se

    lf b

    elo

    ng

    s to

    ph

    ilo

    sop

    hy.

    In f

    act,

    no

    t to

    pu

    t to

    o f

    ine a

    po

    int

    on

    it,

    this

    p

    art

    o

    f so

    cio

    log

    y

    is

    rea

    lly

    m

    isb

    eg

    ott

    en

    ep

    iste

    mo

    log

    y.

    I sa

    y

    ‘mis

    be

    go

    tte

    n’

    be

    ca

    use

    it

    s

    pro

    ble

    ms

    ha

    ve

    b

    ee

    n

    larg

    ely

    m

    isc

    on

    str

    ue

    d,

    an

    d

    the

    refo

    re

    mis

    ha

    nd

    led

    , a

    s

    a

    sp

    ec

    ies

    of

    sc

    ien

    tifi

    c

    pro

    ble

    m.

    Th

    e u

    sual

    treatm

    en

    t o

    f la

    ng

    uag

    e in

    te

    xtb

    oo

    ks

    of

    socia

    l p

    sych

    olo

    gy

    sh

    ow

    s th

    e in

    ad

    eq

    uacie

    s to

    w

    hic

    h

    this

    m

    ay

    le

    ad

    . T

    he p

    rob

    lem

    o

    f w

    hat

    lan

    gu

    ag

    e is

    is

    cle

    arl

    y o

    f v

    ital

    imp

    ort

    an

    ce f

    or

    socio

    log

    y i

    n t

    hat,

    wit

    h

    it,

    on

    e i

    s fa

    ce t

    o f

    ace w

    ith

    th

    e w

    ho

    le q

    uest

    ion

    of

    the

    ch

    ara

    cte

    rist

    ic w

    ay

    in

    w

    hic

    h h

    um

    an

    b

    ein

    gs

    inte

    rac

    t

    wit

    h e

    ach

    oth

    er

    in s

    ocie

    ty.

    Yet

    the i

    mp

    ort

    an

    t q

    uest

    ion

    s

    are

    usu

    all

    y l

    eft

    un

    tou

    ch

    ed

    . O

    ne f

    ind

    s ex

    am

    ple

    s o

    f th

    e

    way

    s in

    wh

    ich

    an

    alo

    go

    us

    co

    ncep

    ts m

    ay

    dif

    fer

    in t

    he

    lan

    gu

    ag

    es

    of

    dif

    fere

    nt

    socie

    ties

    wit

    h,

    perh

    ap

    s, so

    me

    ind

    ica

    tio

    n o

    f th

    e w

    ay

    s in

    w

    hic

    h th

    ese

    d

    iffe

    ren

    ce

    s

    co

    rresp

    on

    d t

    o d

    iffe

    ren

    ces

    in t

    he m

    ain

    in

    tere

    sts

    wh

    ich

    are

    c

    ha

    rac

    teri

    sti

    c

    of

    the

    li

    fe

    ca

    rrie

    d

    on

    in

    th

    ose

  • 44

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    so

    cie

    tie

    s.

    All

    th

    is

    ca

    n

    be

    in

    tere

    sti

    ng

    a

    nd

    ev

    en

    illu

    min

    ati

    ng

    if

    bro

    ug

    ht

    forw

    ard

    by

    way

    of

    illu

    stra

    tio

    n

    in d

    iscu

    ssin

    g w

    hat

    it i

    s, a

    fter

    all

    , fo

    r p

    eo

    ple

    to

    hav

    e a

    lan

    gu

    ag

    e

    at

    all

    . B

    ut

    this

    o

    ne

    h

    ard

    ly

    ev

    er

    me

    ets

    .

    Inste

    ad

    , th

    e n

    oti

    on

    o

    f h

    av

    ing

    a

    la

    ng

    ua

    ge

    , a

    nd

    th

    e

    no

    tio

    ns

    tha

    t g

    o a

    lon

    g w

    ith

    th

    at:

    su

    ch

    a

    s m

    ea

    nin

    g,

    inte

    llig

    ibil

    ity,

    an

    d s

    o o

    n—

    these

    are

    tak

    en

    fo

    r g

    ran

    ted

    .

    Th

    e im

    pre

    ssio

    n g

    iven

    is

    th

    at

    firs

    t th

    ere

    is

    la

    ng

    uag

    e

    (wit

    h w

    ord

    s h

    av

    ing

    a m

    ean

    ing

    , st

    ate

    men

    ts c

    ap

    ab

    le o

    f

    be

    ing

    tr

    ue

    o

    r fa

    lse

    ) a

    nd

    th

    en

    , th

    is b

    ein

    g g

    ive

    n,

    it

    co

    me

    s to

    e

    nte

    r in

    to h

    um

    an

    re

    lati

    on

    ship

    s a

    nd

    to

    b

    e

    mo

    dif

    ied

    b

    y th

    e p

    art

    icu

    lar

    hu

    man

    re

    lati

    on

    ship

    s in

    to

    wh

    ich

    it

    d

    oes

    so en

    ter.

    Wh

    at

    is m

    isse

    d is

    th

    at

    tho

    se

    ve

    ry

    ca

    teg

    ori

    es

    of

    me

    an

    ing

    , e

    tc.,

    a

    re

    log

    ica

    lly

    de

    pe

    nd

    en

    t fo

    r th

    eir

    se

    nse

    o

    n

    so

    cia

    l in

    tera

    cti

    on

    betw

    een

    men

    . S

    ocia

    l p

    sych

    olo

    gis

    ts s

    om

    eti

    mes

    pay

    lip

    -

    se

    rvic

    e

    to

    this

    . W

    e

    are

    to

    ld,

    for

    insta

    nc

    e,

    tha

    t

    ‘Co

    ncep

    ts a

    re p

    rod

    ucts

    of

    inte

    racti

    on

    of

    man

    y p

    eo

    ple

    carr

    yin

    g o

    n t

    he i

    mp

    ort

    an

    t b

    usi

    ness

    of

    liv

    ing

    to

    geth

    er

    in g

    rou

    ps’

    (3

    0:

    p.

    45

    6).

    Bu

    t th

    e a

    uth

    ors

    go

    no

    fu

    rth

    er

    wit

    h

    this

    th

    an

    to

    re

    ma

    rk

    on

    th

    e

    wa

    y

    in

    wh

    ich

    pa

    rtic

    ula

    r co

    ncep

    ts m

    ay

    refl

    ect

    the p

    ecu

    liar

    life

    of

    the

    so

    cie

    ty

    in

    wh

    ich

    th

    ey

    a

    re

    cu

    rre

    nt.

    T

    he

    re

    is

    no

    dis

    cu

    ssio

    n o

    f h

    ow

    th

    e v

    ery

    ex

    iste

    nc

    e o

    f c

    on

    ce

    pts

    dep

    en

    ds

    on

    gro

    up

    -lif

    e.

    An

    d t

    hey

    sh

    ow

    th

    at

    they

    do

    no

    t

    un

    ders

    tan

    d t

    he f

    orc

    e o

    f th

    is q

    uest

    ion

    wh

    en

    th

    ey

    sp

    eak

    of

    co

    nc

    ep

    ts ‘e

    mb

    od

    yin

    g g

    en

    era

    liz

    ati

    on

    s’;

    fo

    r o

    ne

    ca

    nn

    ot

    ex

    pla

    in w

    ha

    t c

    on

    ce

    pts

    a

    re in

    te

    rms o

    f th

    e

    no

    tio

    n o

    f a g

    en

    era

    lizati

    on

    . P

    eo

    ple

    d

    o n

    ot

    firs

    t m

    ak

    e

    gen

    era

    lizati

    on

    s an

    d t

    hen

    em

    bo

    dy

    th

    em

    in

    co

    ncep

    ts:

    it

    is o

    nly

    by

    vir

    tue o

    f th

    eir

    po

    ssess

    ion

    of

    co

    ncep

    ts t

    hat

    they

    are

    ab

    le t

    o m

    ak

    e g

    en

    era

    lizati

    on

    s at

    all

    .

    45

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    2.

    Mea

    nin

    gfu

    l B

    eh

    avio

    ur

    Wit

    tgen

    stein

    ’s a

    cco

    un

    t o

    f w

    hat

    it i

    s to

    fo

    llo

    w a

    ru

    le

    is,

    for

    ob

    vio

    us

    reaso

    ns,

    giv

    en

    pri

    ncip

    all

    y w

    ith

    an

    ey

    e

    to e

    lucid

    ati

    ng

    th

    e n

    atu

    re o

    f la

    ng

    uag

    e.

    I h

    av

    e n

    ow

    to

    sh

    ow

    h

    ow

    th

    is tr

    ea

    tme

    nt

    ma

    y sh

    ed

    li

    gh

    t o

    n o

    the

    r

    form

    s o

    f h

    um

    an

    in

    tera

    cti

    on

    besi

    des

    speech

    . T

    he f

    orm

    s

    of

    acti

    vit

    y in

    q

    uest

    ion

    are

    , n

    atu

    rall

    y,

    tho

    se to

    w

    hic

    h

    an

    alo

    go

    us

    cate

    go

    ries

    are

    ap

    pli

    cab

    le:

    tho

    se,

    that

    is,

    of

    wh

    ich

    we c

    an

    sen

    sib

    ly s

    ay

    th

    at

    they

    hav

    e a

    mea

    nin

    g,

    a

    sym

    bo

    lic ch

    ara

    cte

    r. In

    th

    e w

    ord

    s o

    f M

    ax

    Web

    er,

    w

    e

    are

    co

    ncern

    ed

    wit

    h h

    um

    an

    beh

    av

    iou

    r ‘i

    f an

    d i

    n s

    o f

    ar

    as

    the ag

    en

    t o

    r ag

    en

    ts ass

    ocia

    te a su

    bje

    cti

    ve se

    nse

    .

    (Sin

    n)

    wit

    h

    it’.

    (3

    3:

    Ch

    ap

    ter

    I.)

    I w

    an

    t n

    ow

    to

    co

    nsi

    der

    wh

    at

    is i

    nv

    olv

    ed

    in

    th

    is i

    dea o

    f m

    ean

    ing

    ful

    beh

    av

    iou

    r.

    Web

    er

    say

    s th

    at

    the ‘s

    en

    se’

    of

    wh

    ich

    h

    e sp

    eak

    s is

    som

    eth

    ing

    w

    hic

    h is

    ‘s

    ub

    jecti

    vely

    in

    ten

    ded

    ’; an

    d h

    e

    say

    s th

    at

    the n

    oti

    on

    of

    mean

    ing

    ful

    beh

    av

    iou

    r is

    clo

    sely

    ass

    oc

    iate

    d

    wit

    h

    no

    tio

    ns

    lik

    e

    mo

    tiv

    e

    an

    d

    rea

    so

    n.

    ‘“M

    oti

    ve

    me

    an

    s a

    m

    ea

    nin

    gfu

    l c

    on

    fig

    ura

    tio

    n

    of

    cir

    cu

    mst

    an

    ces

    wh

    ich

    , to

    th

    e a

    gen

    t o

    r o

    bse

    rver,

    ap

    pears

    as

    a m

    ean

    ing

    ful

    “re

    aso

    n” (

    Gru

    nd

    ) o

    f th

    e b

    eh

    av

    iou

    r in

    qu

    est

    ion

    .’ (

    Ibid

    .)

    Let

    us

    co

    nsi

    der

    som

    e e

    xam

    ple

    s o

    f acti

    on

    s w

    hic

    h a

    re

    perf

    orm

    ed

    fo

    r a

    re

    aso

    n.

    Su

    pp

    ose

    th

    at

    it is

    sa

    id o

    f a

    cert

    ain

    p

    ers

    on

    , N

    , th

    at

    he v

    ote

    d L

    ab

    ou

    r at

    the la

    st

    Gen

    era

    l E

    lecti

    on

    b

    ecau

    se h

    e th

    ou

    gh

    t th

    at

    a L

    ab

    ou

    r

    go

    ve

    rnm

    en

    t w

    ou

    ld

    be

    th

    e

    mo

    st

    lik

    ely

    to

    p

    rese

    rve

    ind

    ust

    rial

    peace.

    Wh

    at

    kin

    d o

    f ex

    pla

    nati

    on

    is

    this

    ? T

    he

    cle

    are

    st case

    is

    th

    at

    in w

    hic

    h N

    , p

    rio

    r to

    v

    oti

    ng

    , h

    as

    dis

    cu

    ssed

    th

    e p

    ros

    an

    d c

    on

    s o

    f v

    oti

    ng

    Lab

    ou

    r an

    d h

    as

    ex

    pli

    cit

    ly c

    om

    e t

    o t

    he c

    on

    clu

    sio

    n:

    ‘I w

    ill

    vo

    te L

    ab

    ou

    r

  • 46

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    be

    ca

    use

    th

    at

    is th

    e b

    est

    w

    ay

    to

    p

    rese

    rve

    in

    du

    stri

    al

    peace’.

    Th

    at

    is a

    para

    dig

    m c

    ase

    of

    som

    eo

    ne p

    erf

    orm

    ing

    an

    acti

    on

    fo

    r a r

    easo

    n.

    To

    say

    th

    is i

    s n

    ot

    to d

    en

    y t

    hat

    in

    som

    e case

    s, ev

    en

    w

    here

    N h

    as

    go

    ne th

    rou

    gh

    su

    ch

    an

    ex

    pli

    cit

    p

    rocess

    o

    f re

    aso

    nin

    g,

    it m

    ay

    b

    e p

    oss

    ible

    to

    dis

    pu

    te w

    heth

    er

    the r

    easo

    n h

    e h

    as

    giv

    en

    is

    in f

    act

    the

    real

    reaso

    n f

    or

    his

    beh

    avio

    ur.

    Bu

    t th

    ere

    is

    very

    oft

    en

    no

    roo

    m f

    or

    do

    ub

    t; a

    nd

    if

    this

    were

    no

    t so

    , th

    e i

    dea o

    f a

    rea

    son

    fo

    r a

    n a

    cti

    on

    wo

    uld

    be i

    n d

    an

    ger

    of

    co

    mp

    lete

    ly

    losi

    ng

    it

    s se

    nse

    . (T

    his

    p

    oin

    t w

    ill

    ass

    um

    e

    gre

    ate

    r

    imp

    ort

    an

    ce su

    bse

    qu

    en

    tly,

    wh

    en

    I

    co

    me to

    d

    iscu

    ss th

    e

    wo

    rk o

    f P

    are

    to.)

    Th

    e t

    yp

    e o

    f case

    wh

    ich

    I h

    av

    e t

    ak

    en

    as

    a p

    ara

    dig

    m i

    s

    no

    t th

    e o

    nly

    on

    e c

    ov

    ere

    d b

    y W

    eb

    er’

    s co

    ncep

    t. B

    ut

    the

    para

    dig

    m e

    xh

    ibit

    s cle

    arl

    y o

    ne f

    eatu

    re w

    hic

    h I

    beli

    eve

    to h

    av

    e a m

    ore

    g

    en

    era

    l im

    po

    rtan

    ce.

    Su

    pp

    ose

    th

    at

    an

    ob

    serv

    er,

    O,

    is o

    fferi

    ng

    th

    e a

    bo

    ve e

    xp

    lan

    ati

    on

    fo

    r N

    ’s

    hav

    ing

    vo

    ted

    Lab

    ou

    r: t

    hen

    it

    sho

    uld

    be n

    ote

    d t

    hat

    the

    forc

    e o

    f O

    ’s ex

    pla

    na

    tio

    n re

    sts

    on

    th

    e fa

    ct

    tha

    t th

    e

    co

    ncep

    ts w

    hic

    h a

    pp

    ear

    in i

    t m

    ust

    be g

    rasp

    ed

    no

    t m

    ere

    ly

    by

    O

    an

    d h

    is h

    eare

    rs,

    bu

    t als

    o b

    y N

    h

    imse

    lf.

    N m

    ust

    hav

    e so

    me id

    ea o

    f w

    hat

    it is

    to

    ‘p

    rese

    rve in

    du

    stri

    al

    peace’

    an

    d o

    f a c

    on

    necti

    on

    betw

    een

    th

    is a

    nd

    th

    e k

    ind

    of

    go

    vern

    men

    t w

    hic

    h h

    e ex

    pects

    to

    b

    e in

    p

    ow

    er

    if

    La

    bo

    ur

    is

    ele

    cte

    d.

    (Fo

    r m

    y

    pre

    sen

    t p

    urp

    ose

    s it

    is

    un

    necess

    ary

    to

    rais

    e t

    he q

    uest

    ion

    wh

    eth

    er

    N’s

    beli

    efs

    in

    a p

    art

    icu

    lar

    inst

    an

    ce a

    re t

    rue o

    r n

    ot.

    )

    No

    t all

    case

    s o

    f m

    ean

    ing

    ful

    beh

    avio

    ur

    are

    as

    cle

    ar-

    cu

    t as

    this

    . H

    ere

    are

    so

    me in

    term

    ed

    iate

    ex

    am

    ple

    s. N

    may

    no

    t, p

    rio

    r to

    cast

    ing

    his

    vo

    te,

    hav

    e f

    orm

    ula

    ted

    an

    y

    rea

    son

    fo

    r v

    oti

    ng

    a

    s h

    e

    do

    es.

    B

    ut

    this

    d

    oe

    s n

    ot

    necess

    ari

    ly p

    reclu

    de th

    e p

    oss

    ibil

    ity

    o

    f sa

    yin

    g th

    at

    he

    has

    a r

    easo

    n f

    or

    vo

    tin

    g L

    ab

    ou

    r an

    d o

    f sp

    ecif

    yin

    g t

    hat

    47

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    rea

    son

    . A

    nd

    in

    th

    is

    ca

    se,

    just

    a

    s m

    uc

    h

    as

    in

    the

    para

    dig

    m,

    the accep

    tab

    ilit

    y o

    f su

    ch

    an

    ex

    pla

    nati

    on

    is

    co

    nti

    ng

    en

    t o

    n N

    ’s g

    rasp

    of

    the c

    on

    cep

    ts c

    on

    tain

    ed

    in

    it.

    If N

    do

    es

    no

    t g

    rasp

    th

    e c

    on

    cep

    t o

    f in

    du

    stri

    al

    peace i

    t

    mu

    st b

    e se

    nse

    less

    to

    sa

    y th

    at

    his

    re

    aso

    n fo

    r d

    oin

    g

    an

    yth

    ing

    is

    a d

    esi

    re t

    o s

    ee i

    nd

    ust

    rial

    peace p

    rom

    ote

    d,

    A

    typ

    e

    of

    ca

    se

    ev

    en

    fa

    rth

    er

    rem

    ov

    ed

    fr

    om

    m

    y

    pa

    rad

    igm

    is

    th

    at

    dis

    cu

    sse

    d

    by

    F

    reu

    d

    in

    Th

    e

    Psy

    ch

    op

    ath

    olo

    gy o

    f E

    very

    da

    y L

    ife.

    N f

    org

    ets

    to

    po

    st a

    lett

    er

    an

    d in

    sist

    s, ev

    en

    aft

    er

    refl

    ecti

    on

    , th

    at

    this

    w

    as

    ‘ju

    st a

    n o

    ve

    rsig

    ht’

    a

    nd

    h

    ad

    n

    o re

    aso

    n.

    A F

    reu

    dia

    n

    ob

    serv

    er

    mig

    ht

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    hat

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    mu

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    a r

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    ou

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    are

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    N:

    su

    gg

    esti

    ng

    perh

    ap

    s th

    at

    N u

    nco

    nsc

    iou

    sly

    co

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    ecte

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    ost

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    tter

    wit

    h so

    meth

    ing

    in

    h

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    h is

    p

    ain

    ful

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    d w

    hic

    h h

    e w

    an

    ts to

    su

    pp

    ress

    . In

    Web

    eri

    an

    te

    rms,

    Fre

    ud

    cla

    ssif

    ies

    as

    ‘mean

    ing

    full

    y d

    irecte

    d’

    (sin

    nh

    aft

    ori

    en

    tiert

    ) acti

    on

    s w

    hic

    h h

    av

    e n

    o se

    nse

    at

    all

    to

    th

    e

    casu

    al

    ob

    serv

    er.

    Web

    er

    seem

    s to

    refe

    r to

    case

    s o

    f th

    is

    sort

    w

    hen

    , in

    h

    is d

    iscu

    ssio

    n o

    f b

    ord

    erl

    ine case

    s, h

    e

    speak

    s o

    f acti

    on

    s th

    e s

    en

    se o

    f w

    hic

    h i

    s ap

    pare

    nt

    on

    ly

    ‘to

    th

    e e

    xp

    ert

    ’. T

    his

    mean

    s th

    at

    his

    ch

    ara

    cte

    rizati

    on

    of

    Sin

    n a

    s so

    me

    thin

    g ‘s

    ub

    jec

    tiv

    ely

    in

    ten

    de

    d’

    mu

    st b

    e

    ap

    pro

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    ed

    wari

    ly:

    mo

    re w

    ari

    ly,

    for

    inst

    an

    ce t

    han

    it

    is

    ap

    pro

    ac

    he

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    M

    orr

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    Gin

    sbe

    rg,

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    pe

    ars

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    um

    e th

    at

    We

    be

    r is

    sa

    yin

    g th

    at

    the

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    cio

    log

    ist’

    s

    un

    ders

    tan

    din

    g o

    f th

    e b

    eh

    av

    iou

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    f o

    ther

    peo

    ple

    m

    ust

    rest

    o

    n

    an

    a

    na

    log

    y

    wit

    h

    his

    o

    wn

    in

    tro

    spe

    cti

    ve

    ex

    peri

    en

    ce.

    (See 1

    1:

    pp

    . 1

    53

    ff.

    )Th

    is m

    isu

    nd

    ers

    tan

    din

    g

    of

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    ery

    co

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    on

    bo

    th a

    mo

    ng

    his

    cri

    tics

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    d

    am

    on

    g h

    is v

    ulg

    ari

    zin

    g f

    oll

    ow

    ers

    ; I

    wil

    l sa

    y m

    ore

    ab

    ou

    t

    it

    at

    a

    late

    r st

    ag

    e.

    Bu

    t W

    eb

    er’

    s in

    sist

    en

    ce

    o

    n

    the

    imp

    ort

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    ce

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    e su

    bje

    cti

    ve

    p

    oin

    t o

    f v

    iew

    c

    an

    b

    e

  • 48

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    inte

    rpre

    ted

    in

    a w

    ay

    wh

    ich

    is

    no

    t o

    pen

    to

    Gin

    sberg

    ’s

    ob

    jec

    tio

    ns:

    h

    e

    ca

    n

    be

    ta

    ke

    n

    as

    me

    an

    ing

    th

    at

    ev

    en

    ex

    pla

    nati

    on

    s o

    f th

    e F

    reu

    dia

    n ty

    pe,

    if th

    ey

    are

    to

    b

    e

    accep

    tab

    le,

    mu

    st b

    e in

    te

    rms

    of

    co

    ncep

    ts w

    hic

    h are

    fam

    ilia

    r to

    th

    e ag

    en

    t as

    well

    as

    to th

    e o

    bse

    rve

    r. It

    wo

    uld

    mak

    e n

    o s

    en

    se t

    o s

    ay

    th

    at

    N’s

    om

    issi

    on

    to

    po

    st a

    lett

    er

    to

    X

    (in

    se

    ttle

    me

    nt,

    sa

    y,

    of

    a

    de

    bt)

    w

    as

    an

    ex

    pre

    ssio

    n o

    f N

    ’s u

    nco

    nsc

    iou

    s re

    sen

    tmen

    t ag

    ain

    st X

    fo

    r

    hav

    ing

    b

    ee

    n p

    rom

    ote

    d o

    ve

    r h

    is h

    ea

    d,

    if N

    d

    id n

    ot

    him

    self

    u

    nd

    ers

    tan

    d

    wh

    at

    wa

    s m

    ea

    nt

    by

    ‘o

    bta

    inin

    g

    pro

    mo

    tio

    n

    ov

    er

    som

    eb

    od

    y’s

    h

    ea

    d’.

    It

    is

    w

    ort

    h

    men

    tio

    nin

    g h

    ere

    to

    o th

    at,

    in

    se

    ek

    ing

    ex

    pla

    nati

    on

    s o

    f

    this

    so

    rt i

    n t

    he c

    ou

    rse o

    f p

    sych

    oth

    era

    py,

    Fre

    ud

    ian

    s tr

    y

    to g

    et

    the p

    ati

    en

    t h

    imse

    lf t

    o r

    eco

    gn

    ize t

    he v

    ali

    dit

    y o

    f

    the p

    roff

    ere

    d e

    xp

    lan

    ati

    on

    ; th

    at

    this

    in

    deed

    is

    alm

    ost

    a

    co

    nd

    itio

    n

    of

    its

    be

    ing

    a

    cc

    ep

    ted

    a

    s th

    e

    ‘rig

    ht’

    ex

    pla

    nati

    on

    .

    Th

    e c

    ate

    go

    ry o

    f m

    ean

    ing

    ful

    beh

    av

    iou

    r ex

    ten

    ds

    als

    o

    to a

    cti

    on

    s fo

    r w

    hic

    h th

    e a

    ge

    nt

    ha

    s n

    o ‘r

    ea

    so

    n’

    or

    ‘mo

    tiv

    e’

    at

    all

    in

    an

    y o

    f th

    e s

    en

    ses

    so f

    ar

    dis

    cu

    ssed

    . In

    the f

    irst

    ch

    ap

    ter

    of

    Wir

    tsch

    aft

    un

    d G

    ese

    llsc

    ha

    ft W

    eb

    er

    co

    ntr

    asts

    m

    ea

    nin

    gfu

    l a

    cti

    on

    w

    ith

    a

    cti

    on

    w

    hic

    h

    is

    ‘pu

    rely

    reacti

    ve’

    (blo

    ss r

    ea

    kti

    v)

    an

    d s

    ay

    s th

    at

    pu

    rely

    tra

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    ion

    al

    be

    hav

    iou

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    o

    n th

    e b

    ord

    erl

    ine

    b

    etw

    ee

    n

    these

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    o cate

    go

    ries.

    B

    ut,

    as

    Talc

    ott

    P

    ars

    on

    s p

    oin

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    ou

    t, W

    eb

    er

    is n

    ot

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    nsi

    sten

    t in

    w

    hat

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    ys

    ab

    ou

    t

    this

    . S

    om

    eti

    me

    s

    he

    se

    em

    s

    to

    reg

    ard

    tr

    ad

    itio

    na

    l

    beh

    av

    iou

    r as

    sim

    ply

    a sp

    ecie

    s o

    f h

    ab

    it,

    wh

    ere

    as

    at

    oth

    er

    tim

    es

    he s

    ees

    it a

    s ‘a

    ty

    pe o

    f so

    cia

    l acti

    on

    , it

    s

    tra

    dit

    ion

    ali

    sm

    c

    on

    sis

    tin

    g

    in

    the

    fi

    xit

    y

    of

    ce

    rta

    in

    esse

    nti

    als

    , th

    eir

    im

    mu

    nit

    y

    fro

    m

    rati

    on

    al

    or

    oth

    er

    cri

    ticis

    m’.

    (2

    4:

    Ch

    ap

    ter

    XV

    I.)

    Eco

    no

    mic

    b

    eh

    av

    iou

    r

    rela

    ted

    to

    a

    fi

    xe

    d st

    an

    da

    rd o

    f li

    vin

    g is

    c

    ite

    d a

    s a

    n

    49

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    ex

    am

    ple

    : b

    eh

    av

    iou

    r, th

    at

    is,

    wh

    ere

    a m

    an

    d

    oes

    no

    t

    ex

    plo

    it a

    n i

    ncre

    ase

    in

    th

    e p

    rod

    ucti

    ve c

    ap

    acit

    ies

    of

    his

    lab

    ou

    r in

    ord

    er

    to r

    ais

    e h

    is s

    tan

    dard

    of

    liv

    ing

    bu

    t d

    oes

    less

    w

    ork

    in

    stead

    . P

    ars

    on

    s re

    mark

    s th

    at

    trad

    itio

    n in

    this

    se

    nse

    is

    n

    ot

    to b

    e eq

    uate

    d w

    ith

    m

    ere

    h

    ab

    it,

    bu

    t

    has

    a n

    orm

    ati

    ve c

    ha

    rac

    ter.

    T

    ha

    t is

    , th

    e tr

    ad

    itio

    n is

    reg

    ard

    ed

    as

    a s

    tan

    dard

    wh

    ich

    dir

    ects

    ch

    oic

    es

    betw

    een

    alt

    ern

    ati

    ve a

    cti

    on

    s. A

    s su

    ch

    it

    cle

    arl

    y f

    all

    s w

    ith

    in t

    he

    cate

    go

    ry o

    f th

    e s

    inn

    ha

    ft.

    Su

    pp

    ose

    th

    at

    N v

    ote

    s L

    ab

    ou

    r w

    ith

    ou

    t d

    eli

    bera

    tin

    g

    an

    d

    wit

    ho

    ut

    sub

    seq

    ue

    ntl

    y

    be

    ing

    a

    ble

    to

    o

    ffe

    r a

    ny

    reaso

    ns,

    ho

    wev

    er

    hard

    he i

    s p

    ress

    ed

    . S

    up

    po

    se t

    hat

    he i

    s

    sim

    ply

    fo

    llo

    win

    g w

    ith

    ou

    t q

    uest

    ion

    th

    e e

    xam

    ple

    of

    his

    fath

    er

    an

    d h

    is f

    rien

    ds,

    wh

    o h

    av

    e a

    lway

    s v

    ote

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    ab

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    (Th

    is case

    m

    ust

    b

    e d

    isti

    ng

    uis

    hed

    fr

    om

    th

    at

    in w

    hic

    h

    N’s

    re

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    n fo

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    oti

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    L

    ab

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    fa

    ther

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    frie

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    av

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    lway

    s d

    on

    e s

    o.)

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    ho

    ug

    h N

    do

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    no

    t

    act

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    fo

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    aso

    n,

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    act

    stil

    l h

    as

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    efi

    nit

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    Wh

    at

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    oes

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    ot

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    s ca

    stin

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    An

    d w

    hat

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    an

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    giv

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    acti

    on

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    ore

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    w

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    gu

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    R

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    esch

    ich

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    ng

    , W

    eb

    er

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    yp

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    case

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    f tw

    o ‘n

    on

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    be

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    ob

    jects

    . (S

    ee 3

    4.)

    Th

    is o

    ccu

    rren

    ce,

    he

    say

    s, is

    co

    nceiv

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    le as

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    an

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    on

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    f it

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    He e

    xp

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    o m

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    ust

    carr

    y w

    ith

  • 50

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    the

    m,

    or

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    pri

    ate

    w

    here

    w

    e are

    d

    eali

    ng

    wit

    h

    ac

    tio

    ns

    wh

    ich

    h

    av

    e

    an

    im

    me

    dia

    te

    soc

    ial

    sig

    nif

    ica

    nc

    e,

    lik

    e

    ec

    on

    om

    ic

    ex

    ch

    an

    ge

    o

    r p

    rom

    ise

    -

    keep

    ing

    . B

    ut

    it a

    pp

    lies

    als

    o t

    o m

    ean

    ing

    ful

    beh

    av

    iou

    r o

    f

    a m

    ore

    ‘p

    riv

    ate

    ’ n

    atu

    re.

    Th

    us,

    to

    st

    ay

    w

    ith

    ex

    am

    ple

    s

    use

    d b

    y W

    eb

    er,

    if

    N p

    laces

    a s

    lip

    of

    pap

    er

    betw

    een

    th

    e

    leav

    es

    of

    a

    bo

    ok

    h

    e

    ca

    n

    be

    sa

    id

    to

    be

    ‘u

    sin

    g

    a

    bo

    ok

    mark

    ’ o

    nly

    if

    h

    e acts

    w

    ith

    th

    e id

    ea o

    f u

    sin

    g th

    e

    slip

    to

    dete

    rmin

    e w

    here

    he s

    hall

    sta

    rt r

    e-r

    ead

    ing

    . T

    his

    do

    es

    no

    t m

    ean

    th

    at

    he m

    ust

    necess

    ari

    ly a

    ctu

    all

    y s

    o u

    se

    it i

    n t

    he f

    utu

    re (

    tho

    ug

    h t

    hat

    is t

    he p

    ara

    dig

    m c

    ase

    ); t

    he

    po

    int

    is t

    hat

    if h

    e d

    oes

    no

    t, s

    om

    e s

    pecia

    l ex

    pla

    nati

    on

    wil

    l b

    e c

    all

    ed

    fo

    r, s

    uch

    as

    that

    he f

    org

    ot,

    ch

    an

    ged

    his

    min

    d,

    or

    go

    t ti

    red

    of

    the b

    oo

    k.

    Th

    e n

    oti

    on

    of

    bein

    g c

    om

    mit

    ted

    by

    wh

    at

    I d

    o n

    ow

    to

    do

    ing

    so

    meth

    ing

    els

    e i

    n t

    he f

    utu

    re i

    s id

    en

    tical

    in f

    orm

    wit

    h

    the

    c

    on

    ne

    cti

    on

    b

    etw

    ee

    n

    a

    de

    fin

    itio

    n

    an

    d

    the

    sub

    seq

    uen

    t u

    se o

    f th

    e w

    ord

    defi

    ned

    , w

    hic

    h I

    dis

    cu

    ssed

    in

    the

    la

    st

    ch

    ap

    ter.

    It

    fo

    llo

    ws

    tha

    t I

    ca

    n

    on

    ly

    be

    co

    mm

    itte

    d i

    n t

    he f

    utu

    re b

    y w

    hat

    I d

    o n

    ow

    if

    my

    pre

    sen

    t

    act

    is t

    he a

    pp

    lica

    tio

    n o

    f a

    ru

    le.

    No

    w a

    cco

    rdin

    g t

    o t

    he

    arg

    um

    en

    t o

    f th

    e la

    st c

    ha

    pte

    r, th

    is is

    p

    oss

    ible

    o

    nly

    wh

    ere

    th

    e act

    in q

    uest

    ion

    h

    as

    a re

    lati

    on

    to

    a so

    cia

    l

    co

    nte

    xt:

    th

    is m

    ust

    be t

    rue e

    ven

    of

    the m

    ost

    pri

    vate

    acts

    ,

    if,

    that

    is,

    they

    are

    mean

    ing

    ful.

    Le

    t u

    s

    retu

    rn

    to

    N’s

    e

    xe

    rcis

    e

    of

    his

    v

    ote

    : it

    s

    po

    ssib

    ilit

    y r

    est

    s o

    n t

    wo

    pre

    sup

    po

    siti

    on

    s. I

    n t

    he f

    irst

    pla

    ce

    , N

    m

    ust

    liv

    e in

    a

    so

    cie

    ty w

    hic

    h h

    as c

    ert

    ain

    51

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    specif

    ic p

    oli

    tical

    inst

    itu

    tio

    ns—

    a p

    arl

    iam

    en

    t w

    hic

    h i

    s

    co

    nst

    itu

    ted

    in

    a c

    ert

    ain

    way

    an

    d a

    go

    vern

    men

    t w

    hic

    h

    is re

    late

    d in

    a cert

    ain

    w

    ay

    to

    th

    e p

    arl

    iam

    en

    t. If

    h

    e

    liv

    es

    in

    a

    so

    cie

    ty

    wh

    ose

    p

    oli

    tic

    al

    str

    uc

    ture

    is

    patr

    iarc

    hal,

    it

    wil

    l cle

    arl

    y m

    ak

    e n

    o s

    en

    se t

    o s

    peak

    of

    him

    as

    ‘vo

    tin

    g’

    for

    a p

    art

    icu

    lar

    go

    vern

    men

    t, h

    ow

    ev

    er

    mu

    ch

    his

    acti

    on

    may

    rese

    mb

    le i

    n a

    pp

    eara

    nce t

    hat

    of

    a v

    ote

    r in

    a

    c

    ou

    ntr

    y w

    ith

    a

    n e

    lec

    ted

    g

    ov

    ern

    me

    nt.

    Seco

    nd

    ly,

    N m

    ust

    him

    self

    hav

    e a

    cert

    ain

    fam

    ilia

    rity

    wit

    h

    tho

    se

    in

    sti

    tuti

    on

    s.

    His

    a

    ct

    mu

    st

    be

    a

    pa

    rtic

    ipa

    tio

    n

    in

    the

    p

    oli

    tic

    al

    life

    o

    f th

    e

    co

    un

    try

    ,

    wh

    ich

    p

    resu

    pp

    ose

    s

    tha

    t h

    e

    mu

    st

    be

    a

    wa

    re

    of

    the

    sym

    bo

    lic r

    ela

    tio

    n b

    etw

    een

    wh

    at

    he i

    s d

    oin

    g n

    ow

    an

    d

    the

    g

    ov

    ern

    me

    nt

    wh

    ich

    c

    om

    es in

    to p

    ow

    er

    aft

    er

    the

    ele

    cti

    on

    . T

    he fo

    rce o

    f th

    is co

    nd

    itio

    n b

    eco

    mes

    mo

    re

    ap

    pa

    ren

    t in

    re

    lati

    on

    to

    c

    ase

    s

    wh

    ere

    ‘d

    em

    oc

    rati

    c

    insti

    tuti

    on

    s’

    ha

    ve

    b

    ee

    n

    imp

    ose

    d

    by

    a

    lie

    n

    ad

    min

    istr

    ato

    rs o

    n so

    cie

    tie

    s to

    w

    hic

    h su

    ch

    w

    ay

    s o

    f

    co

    nd

    ucti

    ng

    po

    liti

    cal

    life

    are

    fo

    reig

    n.

    Th

    e i

    nh

    ab

    itan

    ts

    of

    such

    a c

    ou

    ntr

    y m

    ay

    perh

    ap

    s b

    e c

    ajo

    led

    in

    to g

    oin

    g

    thro

    ug

    h th

    e m

    oti

    on

    s o

    f m

    ark

    ing

    sl

    ips

    of

    pap

    er

    an

    d

    dro

    pp

    ing

    th

    em

    in

    to b

    ox

    es,

    bu

    t, i

    f w

    ord

    s are

    to

    reta

    in

    an

    y

    me

    an

    ing

    , th

    ey

    c

    an

    no

    t b

    e

    sa

    id

    to

    be

    ‘v

    oti

    ng

    un

    less

    th

    ey

    hav

    e s

    om

    e c

    on

    cep

    tio

    n o

    f th

    e s

    ign

    ific

    an

    ce

    of

    wh

    at

    they

    are

    do

    ing

    . T

    his

    rem

    ain

    s tr

    ue e

    ven

    if

    the

    go

    vern

    men

    t w

    hic

    h c

    om

    es

    into

    po

    wer

    do

    es

    so i

    n f

    act

    as

    a r

    esu

    lt o

    f th

    e ‘

    vo

    tes’

    cast

    .

    3.

    Acti

    vit

    ies

    an

    d P

    recep

    ts

    I h

    av

    e

    cla

    ime

    d

    tha

    t th

    e

    an

    aly

    sis

    of

    me

    an

    ing

    ful

    beh

    av

    iou

    r m

    ust

    all

    ot

    a c

    en

    tral

    role

    to

    th

    e n

    oti

    on

    of

    a

    rule

    ; th

    at

    all

    beh

    av

    iou

    r w

    hic

    h i

    s m

    ean

    ing

    ful

    (th

    ere

    fore

  • 52

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    all

    sp

    ecif

    icall

    y h

    um

    an

    b

    eh

    av

    iou

    r) is

    ip

    so fa

    cto

    ru

    le-

    go

    vern

    ed

    . It

    m

    ay

    n

    ow

    b

    e o

    bje

    cte

    d th

    at

    this

    w

    ay

    o

    f

    speak

    ing

    blu

    rs a

    necess

    ary

    dis

    tin

    cti

    on

    : th

    at

    som

    e k

    ind

    s

    of

    acti

    vit

    y i

    nv

    olv

    e t

    he p

    art

    icip

    an

    t in

    th

    e o

    bse

    rvan

    ce o

    f

    rule

    s, w

    hil

    st o

    thers

    do

    no

    t. T

    he f

    ree-t

    hin

    kin

    g a

    narc

    his

    t,

    for

    ex

    am

    ple

    , cert

    ain

    ly d

    oes

    no

    t li

    ve a li

    fe w

    hic

    h is

    cir

    cu

    msc

    rib

    ed

    by

    ru

    les

    in t

    he s

    am

    e s

    en

    se a

    s d

    oes

    the

    mo

    nk

    or

    the s

    old

    ier;

    is

    it n

    ot

    wro

    ng

    to

    su

    bsu

    me t

    hese

    very

    d

    iffe

    ren

    t m

    od

    es

    of

    life

    u

    nd

    er

    on

    e fu

    nd

    am

    en

    tal

    cate

    go

    ry?

    Th

    is o

    bje

    cti

    on

    cert

    ain

    ly s

    how

    s th

    at

    we m

    ust

    ex

    erc

    ise

    care

    in

    th

    e u

    se w

    e m

    ak

    e o

    f th

    e n

    oti

    on

    of

    a r

    ule

    ; b

    ut

    it

    do

    es

    no

    t sh

    ow

    th

    at

    the w

    ay

    of

    speak

    ing

    wh

    ich

    I h

    av

    e

    ad

    op

    ted

    is

    imp

    rop

    er

    or

    un

    illu

    min

    ati

    ng

    . It

    is

    imp

    ort

    an

    t

    to n

    oti

    ce t

    hat,

    in

    th

    e s

    en

    se i

    n w

    hic

    h I

    am

    sp

    eak

    ing

    of

    rule

    s,

    it

    is

    just

    a

    s tr

    ue

    to

    sp

    ea

    k

    of

    the

    a

    na

    rch

    ist

    foll

    ow

    ing

    ru

    les

    in w

    hat

    he d

    oes

    as

    it i

    s to

    say

    th

    e s

    am

    e

    thin

    g o

    f th

    e m

    on

    k.

    Th

    e d

    iffe

    ren

    ce b

    etw

    een

    th

    ese

    tw

    o

    kin

    ds

    of

    men

    is

    no

    t th

    at

    the o

    ne f

    oll

    ow

    s ru

    les

    an

    d t

    he

    oth

    er

    do

    es

    no

    t; i

    t li

    es

    in t

    he d

    ivers

    e k

    ind

    s o

    f ru

    le w

    hic

    h

    ea

    ch

    re

    spe

    cti

    ve

    ly

    foll

    ow

    s.

    Th

    e

    mo

    nk

    ’s

    life

    is

    cir

    cu

    msc

    rib

    ed

    b

    y ru

    les

    of

    beh

    av

    iou

    r w

    hic

    h are

    b

    oth

    ex

    pli

    cit

    an

    d t

    igh

    tly

    dra

    wn

    : th

    ey

    leav

    e a

    s li

    ttle

    ro

    om

    as

    po

    ssib

    le f

    or

    ind

    ivid

    ual

    ch

    oic

    e i

    n s

    itu

    ati

    on

    s w

    hic

    h c

    all

    for

    acti

    on

    . T

    he a

    narc

    his

    t, o

    n t

    he o

    ther

    han

    d,

    esc

    hew

    s

    ex

    pli

    cit

    no

    rms

    as

    far

    as

    po

    ssib

    le a

    nd

    pri

    des

    him

    self

    on

    co

    nsi

    deri

    ng

    all

    cla

    ims

    for

    acti

    on

    ‘o

    n t

    heir

    meri

    ts’:

    th

    at

    is,

    his

    ch

    oic

    e i

    s n

    ot

    dete

    rmin

    ed

    in

    ad

    van

    ce f

    or

    him

    by

    the r

    ule

    he i

    s fo

    llow

    ing

    . B

    ut

    that

    do

    es

    no

    t m

    ean

    th

    at

    we

    can

    eli

    min

    ate

    alt

    og

    eth

    er

    the id

    ea o

    f a ru

    le fr

    om

    th

    e

    de

    scri

    pti

    on

    o

    f h

    is

    be

    hav

    iou

    r.

    We

    c

    an

    no

    t d

    o

    this

    becau

    se,

    if I

    may

    be p

    erm

    itte

    d a

    sig

    nif

    ican

    t p

    leo

    nasm

    ,

    the a

    narc

    his

    t’s

    way

    of

    life

    is

    a w

    ay o

    f li

    fe.

    It i

    s to

    be

    53

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    dis

    tin

    gu

    ish

    ed

    , fo

    r in

    sta

    nc

    e,

    fro

    m

    the

    p

    oin

    tle

    ss

    be

    hav

    iou

    r o

    f a

    b

    ers

    erk

    lu

    na

    tic

    . T

    he

    a

    na

    rch

    ist

    ha

    s

    reaso

    ns

    for

    acti

    ng

    as

    he d

    oes;

    he m

    akes

    a p

    oin

    t o

    f n

    ot

    bein

    g g

    ov

    ern

    ed

    b

    y ex

    pli

    cit

    , ri

    gid

    n

    orm

    s. A

    lth

    ou

    gh

    h

    e

    reta

    ins

    his

    fr

    ee

    do

    m

    of

    ch

    oic

    e,

    ye

    t th

    ey

    a

    re

    stil

    l

    sig

    nif

    ican

    t ch

    oic

    es

    that

    he m

    ak

    es:

    th

    ey

    are

    gu

    ided

    by

    co

    nsi

    de

    rati

    on

    s, a

    nd

    h

    e m

    ay

    h

    av

    e g

    oo

    d re

    aso

    ns

    for

    ch

    oo

    sin

    g o

    ne co

    urs

    e ra

    ther

    than

    an

    oth

    er.

    An

    d th

    ese

    no

    tio

    ns,

    w

    hic

    h

    are

    e

    sse

    nti

    al

    in

    de

    scri

    bin

    g

    the

    an

    arc

    his

    t’s

    mo

    de o

    f b

    eh

    avio

    ur,

    p

    resu

    pp

    ose

    th

    e n

    oti

    on

    of

    a r

    ule

    .

    An

    a

    na

    log

    y m

    ay

    h

    elp

    h

    ere

    . In

    le

    arn

    ing

    to

    w

    rite

    En

    gli

    sh th

    ere

    a

    re a

    n

    um

    be

    r o

    f fa

    irly

    c

    ut-

    an

    d-d

    rie

    d

    gra

    mm

    ati

    cal

    rule

    s w

    hic

    h o

    ne a

    cq

    uir

    es,

    su

    ch

    as

    that

    it

    is w

    ron

    g to

    fo

    llo

    w a p

    lura

    l su

    bje

    ct

    wit

    h a si

    ng

    ula

    r

    verb

    . T

    hese

    co

    rresp

    on

    d r

    ou

    gh

    ly t

    o t

    he e

    xp

    licit

    no

    rms

    go

    vern

    ing

    mo

    nast

    ic l

    ife.

    In t

    erm

    s o

    f co

    rrect

    gra

    mm

    ar

    on

    e d

    oe

    s n

    ot

    hav

    e a

    c

    ho

    ice

    b

    etw

    ee

    n w

    riti

    ng

    ‘t

    hey

    were

    ’ an

    d ‘

    they

    was’

    : if

    on

    e c

    an

    wri

    te g

    ram

    mati

    call

    y

    the q

    uest

    ion

    of

    wh

    ich

    of

    these

    ex

    pre

    ssio

    ns

    on

    e s

    ho

    uld

    use

    ju

    st d

    oes

    no

    t ari

    se.

    Bu

    t th

    is i

    s n

    ot

    the o

    nly

    kin

    d o

    f

    thin

    g o

    ne

    le

    arn

    s; o

    ne

    a

    lso

    le

    arn

    s to

    fo

    llo

    w c

    ert

    ain

    sty

    list

    ic c

    an

    on

    s, a

    nd

    th

    ese

    , w

    hil

    e t

    hey

    gu

    ide t

    he w

    ay

    in w

    hic

    h o

    ne w

    rite

    s, d

    o n

    ot

    dic

    tate

    th

    at

    on

    e sh

    ou

    ld

    wri

    te in

    o

    ne w

    ay

    ra

    ther

    than

    an

    oth

    er.

    H

    en

    ce p

    eo

    ple

    can

    hav

    e i

    nd

    ivid

    ual

    lite

    rary

    sty

    les

    bu

    t, w

    ith

    in c

    ert

    ain

    lim

    its,

    can

    w

    rite

    o

    nly

    co

    rrect

    gra

    mm

    ar

    or

    inco

    rrect

    gra

    mm

    ar.

    B

    ut

    it

    wo

    uld

    p

    lain

    ly

    be

    m

    ista

    ke

    n

    to

    co

    nclu

    de f

    rom

    th

    is t

    hat

    lite

    rary

    sty

    le i

    s n

    ot

    go

    vern

    ed

    by

    an

    y r

    ule

    s at

    all

    : it

    is

    som

    eth

    ing

    th

    at

    can

    be l

    earn

    ed

    ,

    som

    eth

    ing

    th

    at

    can

    be d

    iscu

    ssed

    , an

    d t

    he f

    act

    that

    it

    can

    b

    e so

    le

    arn

    ed

    an

    d d

    iscu

    ssed

    is

    ess

    en

    tial

    to o

    ur

    co

    ncep

    tio

    n o

    f it

    .

  • 54

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    Perh

    ap

    s th

    e b

    est

    way

    to

    su

    pp

    ort

    th

    is p

    oin

    t w

    ill

    be

    to

    co

    nsid

    er

    a

    pe

    rsu

    asiv

    e

    pre

    se

    nta

    tio

    n

    of

    the

    c

    ase

    ag

    ain

    st i

    t. S

    uch

    a p

    rese

    nta

    tio

    n i

    s o

    ffere

    d b

    y M

    ich

    ael

    Oa

    ke

    sho

    tt in

    a

    se

    rie

    s o

    f a

    rtic

    les

    in th

    e C

    am

    brid

    ge

    Jo

    urn

    al1

    . M

    uc

    h o

    f O

    ak

    esh

    ott

    ’s a

    rgu

    me

    nt

    co

    inc

    ide

    s

    wit

    h th

    e v

    iew

    o

    f h

    um

    an

    b

    eh

    av

    iou

    r w

    hic

    h h

    as

    been

    pre

    sen

    ted

    h

    ere

    , an

    d I

    wil

    l b

    eg

    in b

    y co

    nsi

    deri

    ng

    th

    is

    part

    of

    wh

    at

    he s

    ay

    s b

    efo

    re v

    en

    turi

    ng

    so

    me c

    riti

    cis

    ms

    of

    the r

    est

    .

    Very

    mu

    ch

    in

    acco

    rdan

    ce w

    ith

    th

    e v

    iew

    I h

    av

    e b

    een

    ad

    vo

    cati

    ng

    is

    O

    ak

    esh

    ott

    ’s re

    jecti

    on

    o

    f w

    hat

    he call

    s

    the

    ‘r

    ati

    on

    ali

    sti

    c’

    mis

    co

    nc

    ep

    tio

    n

    of

    the

    n

    atu

    re

    of

    hu

    ma

    n

    inte

    llig

    en

    ce

    a

    nd

    ra

    tio

    na

    lity

    . (S

    ee

    2

    1.)

    Ac

    co

    rdin

    g to

    th

    is m

    isc

    on

    ce

    pti

    on

    th

    e ra

    tio

    na

    lity

    o

    f

    hu

    ma

    n b

    eh

    av

    iou

    r c

    om

    es to

    it

    fr

    om

    w

    ith

    ou

    t: fr

    om

    inte

    llectu

    al

    fun

    cti

    on

    s w

    hic

    h o

    pera

    te a

    cco

    rdin

    g t

    o l

    aw

    s

    of

    their

    ow

    n a

    nd

    are

    , in

    pri

    ncip

    le,

    qu

    ite i

    nd

    ep

    en

    den

    t

    of

    the p

    art

    icu

    lar

    form

    s o

    f acti

    vit

    y t

    o w

    hic

    h t

    hey

    may

    nev

    ert

    hele

    ss b

    e a

    pp

    lied

    .

    A

    go

    od

    ex

    am

    ple

    (n

    ot

    dis

    cu

    sse

    d

    by

    O

    ak

    esh

    ott

    him

    self

    ) o

    f th

    e so

    rt o

    f v

    iew

    to

    w

    hic

    h h

    e o

    bje

    cts

    is

    Hu

    me’s

    fa

    mo

    us

    ass

    ert

    ion

    th

    at

    ‘Reaso

    n is

    , an

    d o

    ug

    ht

    on

    ly to

    b

    e th

    e sl

    av

    e o

    f th

    e p

    ass

    ion

    s, an

    d can

    n

    ev

    er

    pre

    ten

    d to

    an

    y o

    ther

    off

    ice th

    an

    to

    se

    rve an

    d o

    bey

    them

    ’. O

    n th

    is v

    iew

    th

    e en

    ds

    of

    hu

    man

    co

    nd

    uct

    are

    set

    by

    th

    e n

    atu

    ral

    co

    nst

    itu

    tio

    n o

    f m

    en

    ’s e

    mo

    tio

    ns;

    tho

    se e

    nd

    s b

    ein

    g g

    iven

    , th

    e o

    ffic

    e o

    f re

    aso

    n i

    s m

    ain

    ly

    to

    de

    term

    ine

    th

    e

    ap

    pro

    pri

    ate

    m

    ea

    ns

    of

    ac

    hie

    vin

    g

    them

    . T

    he c

    hara

    cte

    rist

    ic a

    cti

    vit

    ies

    carr

    ied

    on

    in

    hu

    man

    socie

    ties

    spri

    ng

    th

    en

    , p

    resu

    mab

    ly,

    fro

    m t

    his

    in

    terp

    lay

    of

    reaso

    n a

    nd

    pass

    ion

    . A

    gain

    st t

    his

    pic

    ture

    Oak

    esh

    ott

    1 Rep

    rin

    ted

    in

    Ra

    tio

    na

    lism

    in

    Po

    liti

    cs,

    Lo

    nd

    on

    , M

    eth

    uen

    , 1

    96

    2.

    55

    NA

    TU

    RE

    OF

    ME

    AN

    ING

    FU

    L B

    EH

    AV

    IOU

    R

    is q

    uit

    e c

    orr

    ect

    to p

    oin

    t o

    ut

    that:

    ‘A

    co

    ok

    is

    no

    t a m

    an

    wh

    o f

    irst

    has

    a v

    isio

    n o

    f a p

    ie a

    nd

    th

    en

    tri

    es

    to m

    ak

    e i

    t;

    he is

    a m

    an

    sk

    ille

    d in

    co

    ok

    ery

    , an

    d b

    oth

    h

    is p

    roje

    cts

    an

    d h

    is a

    ch

    iev

    em

    en

    ts sp

    rin

    g fr

    om

    th

    at

    skil

    l’.

    (21

    .)

    Ge

    ne

    rall

    y,

    bo

    th

    the

    e

    nd

    s so

    ug

    ht

    an

    d

    the

    m

    ea

    ns

    em

    plo

    yed

    in

    hu

    man

    lif

    e,

    so f

    ar

    fro

    m g

    en

    era

    tin

    g f

    orm

    s

    of

    socia

    l acti

    vit

    y,

    dep

    en

    d f

    or

    their

    very

    bein

    g o

    n t

    ho

    se

    form

    s. A

    reli

    gio

    us

    my

    stic

    , fo

    r in

    stan

    ce,

    wh

    o s

    ay

    s th

    at

    his

    aim

    is

    un

    ion

    wit

    h G

    od

    , can

    be u

    nd

    ers

    too

    d o

    nly

    by

    som

    eo

    ne w

    ho

    is

    acq

    uain

    ted

    wit

    h t

    he r

    eli

    gio

    us

    trad

    itio

    n

    in t

    he c

    on

    tex

    t o

    f w

    hic

    h t

    his

    en

    d i

    s so

    ug

    ht;

    a s

    cie

    nti

    st

    wh

    o sa

    ys

    tha

    t h

    is a

    im is

    to

    sp

    lit

    the

    a

    tom

    c

    an

    b

    e

    un

    de

    rsto

    od

    o

    nly

    b

    y so

    me

    on

    e w

    ho

    is

    fa

    mil

    iar

    wit

    h

    mo

    dern

    ph

    ysi

    cs.

    Th

    is le

    ad

    s O

    ak

    esh

    ott

    to

    sa

    y,

    ag

    ain

    q

    uit

    e co

    rrectl

    y,

    that

    a f

    orm

    of

    hu

    man

    acti

    vit

    y c

    an

    nev

    er

    be s

    um

    med

    up

    in a

    set

    of

    ex

    pli

    cit

    pre

    cep

    ts.

    Th

    e a

    cti

    vit

    y ‘

    go

    es

    bey

    on

    d’

    the p

    recep

    ts.

    Fo

    r in

    stan

    ce,

    the p

    recep

    ts h

    av

    e to

    b

    e

    ap

    pli

    ed

    in

    p

    racti

    ce an

    d,

    alt

    ho

    ug

    h w

    e m

    ay

    fo

    rmu

    late

    an

    oth

    er,

    hig

    her-

    ord

    er,

    set

    of

    pre

    cep

    ts p

    resc

    rib

    ing

    ho

    w

    the f

    irst

    set

    is t

    o b

    e a

    pp

    lied

    , w

    e c

    an

    no

    t g

    o f

    urt

    her

    alo

    ng

    this

    ro

    ad

    w

    ith

    ou

    t fi

    nd

    ing

    o

    urs

    elv

    es

    on

    th

    e sl

    ipp

    ery

    slo

    pe p

    oin

    ted

    ou

    t b

    y L

    ewis

    Carr

    oll

    in

    his

    pap

    er,

    ju

    stly

    cele

    bra

    ted

    am

    on

    gst

    lo

    gic

    ian

    s, W

    ha

    t th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e S

    aid

    to

    Ach

    ille

    s (5

    ).

    Ac

    hil

    les

    an

    d

    the

    T

    ort

    ois

    e

    are

    d

    isc

    ussin

    g

    thre

    e

    pro

    po

    siti

    on

    s, A

    , B

    , an

    d Z

    , w

    hic

    h a

    re s

    o r

    ela

    ted

    th

    at

    Z

    foll

    ow

    s lo

    gic

    all

    y fr

    om

    A an

    d B

    . T

    he T

    ort

    ois

    e ask

    s

    Ach

    ille

    s to

    tre

    at

    him

    as

    if h

    e a

    ccep

    ted

    A a

    nd

    B a

    s tr

    ue

    bu

    t d

    id n

    ot

    yet

    accep

    t th

    e tr

    uth

    o

    f th

    e h

    yp

    oth

    eti

    cal

    pro

    po

    siti

    on

    (C

    ) ‘I

    f A

    an

    d B

    be t

    rue,

    Z m

    ust

    be t

    rue’,

    an

    d

    to

    forc

    e

    him

    , lo

    gic

    all

    y,

    to

    ac

    ce

    pt

    Z

    as

    tru

    e.

    Ach

    ille

    s b

    eg

    ins

    by

    ask

    ing

    th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e to

    accep

    t C

    ,

  • 56

    TH

    E I

    DE

    A O

    F A

    SO

    CIA

    L S

    CIE

    NC

    E

    wh

    ich

    th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e d

    oes;

    Ach

    ille

    s th

    en

    w

    rite

    s in

    h

    is

    no

    teb

    oo

    k:

    “A

    B C (

    If A

    an

    d B

    are

    tru

    e,

    Z m

    ust

    be t

    rue)

    Z.”

    He n

    ow

    say

    s to

    th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e:

    ‘If

    yo

    u a

    ccep

    t A

    an

    d B

    an

    d C

    , y

    ou

    m

    ust

    accep

    t Z

    ’. W

    hen

    th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e ask

    s

    wh

    y h

    e m

    ust

    , A

    ch

    ille

    s re

    pli

    es:

    ‘B

    ec

    au

    se it

    fo

    llo

    ws

    log

    ica

    lly f

    rom

    th

    em

    . If

    A a

    nd

    B a

    nd

    C a

    re t

    rue,

    Z m

    ust

    be tr

    ue (D

    ). Y

    ou

    d

    on

    ’t d

    isp

    ute

    th

    at,

    I

    imag

    ine?’

    Th

    e

    To

    rto

    ise ag

    rees

    to accep

    t D

    if

    Ach

    ille

    s w

    ill

    wri

    te it

    do

    wn

    . T

    he fo

    llo

    win

    g d

    ialo

    gu

    e th

    en

    en

    sues.

    Ach

    ille

    s

    say

    s:

    ‘N

    ow

    th

    at

    yo

    u a

    ccep

    t A

    an

    d B

    an

    d C

    an

    d D

    , o

    f co

    urs

    ey

    ou

    accep

    t Z

    .’‘D

    o I?

    ’ sa

    id th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e in

    no

    cen

    tly.

    ‘Let’

    s m

    ak

    eth

    at

    qu

    ite c

    lear.

    I a

    ccep

    t A

    an

    d B

    an

    d C

    an

    d D

    . S

    up

    po

    seI

    stil

    l re

    fuse

    to

    accep

    t Z

    ?’

    ‘Th

    en

    Lo

    gic

    wo

    uld

    tak

    e y

    ou

    by

    th

    e t

    hro

    at,

    an

    d f

    orc

    e

    yo

    u to

    d

    o it

    !’ A

    ch

    ille

    s tr

    ium

    ph

    an

    tly

    re

    pli

    ed

    . ‘L

    og

    icw

    ou

    ld te

    ll y

    ou

    “Y

    ou

    can

    ’t h

    elp

    y

    ou

    rself

    . N

    ow

    th

    at

    yo

    u’v

    e a

    ccep

    ted

    A a

    nd

    B a

    nd

    C a

    nd

    D,

    yo

    u m

    ust

    accep

    tZ

    ”.

    So

    yo

    u’v

    e n

    o c

    ho

    ice,

    yo

    u s

    ee.’

    ‘Wh

    ate

    ver

    Lo

    gic

    is

    go

    od

    en

    ou

    gh

    to

    tell

    me i

    s w

    ort

    hw

    riti

    ng

    d

    ow

    n,’

    sa

    id th

    e T

    ort

    ois

    e.

    ‘So

    en

    ter

    it in

    y

    ou

    rb

    oo

    k,

    ple

    ase

    . W

    e w

    ill

    call

    it

    (E)

    If A

    an

    d B

    an