Max Weber and postmodern theory : rationalization versus re-enchantment

205 Pages·2002·0.59 MB·English

by  Nicholas Gane

Max Weber and Postmodern Theory
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Max Weber and
Postmodern Theory:
Rationalization versus Re-enchantment
Nicholas Gane
© Nicholas Gane 2002
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and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2002 by
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ISBN 0–333–93058–4
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A catalogue record for this book is available
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gane, Nicholas, 1971–
Max Weber and postmodern theory: rationalisation versus
re-enchantment/Nicholas Gane.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0–333–93058–4
1. Weber, Max, 1864–1920. 2. Postmodernism – Social aspects. 3. Culture.
4. Civilization, Modern. I. Title.
HM449.G36 2002
306–dc21
2001056111
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire
For M. J. G.
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
1 Introduction 1
Reading Weber 4
Towards the postmodern 10
PART I – Max Weber’s theory and critique
of rationalization 13
2 Rationalization and disenchantment, I: from
the origins of religion to the death of God 15
Magical religiosity: naturalism, symbolism and beyond 16
Universal religion: from ancient Judaism to the
Protestant ethic 17
The death of God: towards cultural nihilism 19
From cultural to societal rationalization:
towards bureaucratic domination 23
Conclusion 26
3 Rationalization and disenchantment, II: the
differentiation and de-differentiation of
modern culture 28
Rationalization and the differentiation of culture 29
The ‘Intermediate Reflection’ 30
The question of value-incommensurability 34
Cultural de-differentiation: the tragedy of rationalization 41
Conclusion 44
4 The value of instrumental reason: ‘Science as
a Vocation’ 45
The scientific calling 46
From Plato to Newton: the historical values of science 49
Weber, Nietzsche and the ‘last men’ 51
Weber and Tolstoy: exhuming the presuppositions of science 55
The value of practical reason 59
Conclusion 62
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viii Contents
5 The ethical irrationality of the world:
‘Politics as a Vocation’ 64
The ideal-types of political action 65
Towards a reconciliation of conviction and responsibility 69
The immediacy of political judgement 73
Weber and Kant: from autonomy to heteronomy 76
Conclusion 78
PART II – Weber and postmodern theory:
Lyotard, Foucault and Baudrillard 81
6 Intermediate reflection 83
7 Weber, Lyotard and the aesthetic sphere 89
Postmodern science 89
Cultural differentiation and the collapse of the
grand narrative 94
The later Lyotard 102
Art, figure and the aesthetic sphere 103
Conclusion 112
8 Weber, Foucault and the political sphere 113
Foucault’s genealogical practice 114
Foucault’s use of genealogy 117
Cultural science and genealogical history 120
The political ethics of legislative and interpretive practice 124
Conclusion 129
9 Weber, Baudrillard and the erotic sphere 131
Symbolic exchange and the law of value 132
Baudrillard’s genealogy of value: the transition to modernity 135
The erotic sphere and seduction 142
Possibilities for re-enchantment 146
Conclusion 149
10 Conclusion 151
Notes 157
Bibliography 179
Index 190
Acknowledgements
This project was funded initially by a research studentship from
London Guildhall University. Chapter 5 has been published in revised
form as ‘Max Weber on the Ethical Irrationality of Political Leadership’,
Sociology, 31, 3, August 1997, pp. 549–64. Special thanks are due to
Howard Caygill, Howard Dyke (‘Das Wahreist die Wahrheit!’), Thomas
M. Kemple, Chris Rhodes, Scott Lash and Sam Whimster for reading,
commenting on and criticizing various sections of this work. Above all,
however, I would like to thank my mother and father for their inspira-
tion, encouragement and advice, without which this book would not
have been possible.
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