Social Theory and Methodology: Causation and Functionalism in Sociology

167 Pages·2003·2.584 MB·English

by  Wsevolod W. Isajiw

The International Library of Sociology
CAUSATION AND FUNCTIONALISM
IN SOCIOLOGY
Founded by KARL MANNHEIM
The International Library of Sociology
SOCIAL THEORY AND METHODOLOGY
In 22 Volumes
I Causation and Functionalism in Sociology Isajiw
II The Conditions of Social Performance Belshaw
III Explanation in Social Science Brown
(The above title is not available through Routledge in North America)
IV From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology Gerth and
Wright Mills
V The Fundamental Forms of Social Thought Stark
VI An Introduction to Teaching Casework Skills Heywood
VII Key Problems of Sociological Theory Rex
VIII The Logic of Social Enquiry Gibson
IX Marx His Times and Ours Schlesinger
X Montesquieu Stark
XI The Nature and Types of Sociological Theory Martindale
(The above title is not available through Routledge in North America)
XII Oppression Grygier
XIII Philosophy of Wilhelm Dilthey Hodges
XIV Sentiments and Activities Homans
(The above title is not available through Routledge in North America)
XV A Short History of Sociology Maus
XVI Sociology Johnson
(The above title is not available through Routledge in North America)
XVII The Sociology of Knowledge Stark
XVIII The Sociology of Progress Sklair
XIX The Theory of Social Change McLeish
XX Understanding Human Society Goldschmidt
(The above title is not available through Routledge in North America)
XXI Value in Social Theory Streeten
(The above title is not available through Routledge in North America)
XXII Wilhelm Dilthey Hodges
CAUSATION
AND FUNCTIONALISM
IN SOCIOLOGY
by
WSEVOLOD W. ISAJIW
^Frat^v*
First published in 1968
by Routledge
Reprinted in 1998, 2000, 2002
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
or
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
First issued in paperback 2010
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
© 1968 Wsevolod W Isajiw
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
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of the works reprinted in The International Library of Sociology.
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welcome correspondence from those individuals/companies
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library
Causation and Functionalism in Sociology
ISBN 978-0^15-17500-5 (hbk)
ISBN 978-0^15-60495-6 (pbk)
Social Theory and Methodology: 22 Volumes
ISBN 978-0^15-17818-1
The International Library of Sociology: 274 Volumes
ISBN 978-0^15-17838-9
ISBN 978-1-134-55267-2 (ebk)
Publisher's Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this
reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original
may be apparent
Contents
PREFACE page vii
I INTRODUCTION I
The Problem of Scientific Explanation in
Sociology
Aim, Procedure and Definition of
Functionalism
Meaning of Causality
General Statement of the Causal Problem in
Functionalism
II PRODUCTIVE CAUSALITY IN FUNCTIONALISM 30
Logical Formulation of the Principle of
Productive Causality
Productively Causal Characteristics in
Functionalism
'Intercausality' in Functionalism
The Problem of Productive Causality in
Parsons' Critique of Max Weber
III TELE CAUSALITY IN FUNCTIONALISM 53
The Question of Teleology in Functionalist
Literature
Formulation of the Principle of Telecausality
Telecausal Characteristics in Functionalism
Relation to the Future: Model of a Self-
Regulating System as Explanatory Device
The Concept of Function: Its Significance
in the Social System Model
Critique of Merton's Definition of the
Concept of Function
Critique of Merton's Distinction Between
the Manifest and the Latent Functions
IV TALCOTT PARSONS' MEANS-ENDS SCHEMA OF
FUNCTIONAL EXPLANATION 83
Ego-Alter Interaction Analysis: Parsons'
Microfunctionalism
System-System Interaction Analysis: Parsons'
Macrofunctionalism
V THE EXPLANATORY IMPORT OF FUNCTIONALISM
103
The Question of Reduction of Telecausality to
Productive Causality: Ernest Nagel's
Argument
Evaluation of the Common Objections to
Telecausality
The Use of Organismic Model
George C. Homans' Critique of Functionalism
The Explanatory Value of Functionalism
NOTES 131
APPENDIX I 141
APPENDIX II 143
BIBLIOGRAPHY 144
INDEX 15 5
Preface
What follows is an analysis of functionalism by means of the notion
of causality. It is a study of functionalism, yet also an explication
of the notion of causality through its application to a sociological
theory.
Construction of sociological theory, besides its empirical
groundwork, requires resolution of many metasociological issues.
For all the pedantry of empirical research, development of
sociological theory has been inhibited by the fear or reluctance of
sociological thinkers to take on issues which go beyond the
"acceptable" methodological values. One such issue is the problem
of causal explanation. Perhaps, in developing any general theory,
such as functionalism or symbolic interactionism, progress can be
made when the theory's causal implications are assessed. Indeed,
functionalism and symbolic interactionism are two salient
theoretical approaches in sociology today. Functionalism, how-
ever, stands out as an approach peculiarly sociological.
It is difficult for me to find the root of my interest in functional-
ism, but, I am sure, part of it is the challenge offered by the works
of Talcott Parsons.
I wish to express gratitude to all those who have contributed to
the realization of this study. In particular, appreciation is due to
Dr. R. Cletus Brady for supervision and crisp criticism of this
work, when it was written as a dissertation, to Dr. C. Joseph
Nuesse, Rev. Allan B. Wolter, O.F.M., and Rev. Raymond H.
Potvin.
Special thanks go to my wife, Christine, for her stimulating
encouragement, to my parents, for their quiet but constant
interest, to Francisco E. Borja, for his helpful philosophical
discussions, and to all my friends and associates whose constant
reminders have contributed in their own manner to the materializa-
tion of this work. Lastly, special thanks are due to my brother,
George, who by his valuable editorial suggestions turned out to be
much more than a typist.
Windsor, Ontario w. w. ISAJIW
October ip 6j
vii

Chapter I
INTRODUCTION
THE PROBLEM OF SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION
IN SOCIOLOGY
There is agreement among philosophers of science that
scientific explanation of phenomena consists in deducing pro-
positions from other more general propositions. Explana-
tion is essentially deduction. Phenomena can be explained if
any proposition about the relationships between the pheno-
mena can be deduced from some more general propositions.
These general propositions are known as laws. Indeed the
objective of science is establishment of systems of general
laws, but the whole value of general laws is that specific
empirical phenomena can be explained in their terms.
Explanation is attained when observations about empirical
phenomena can be logically deduced from these laws.1 Thus
the explanans contains a major and a minor premise, where-
as the explanandum becomes a conclusion of the syllogism.
The major premise is a general law or a set of such laws.
The minor premise is a statement about an empirical situ-
ation which is associated with the phenomenon to be ex-
plained but at the same time it states that the specific
situation is an instance in which the law can be operative.
The conclusion is a statement which affirms that because
the phenomenon to be explained is associated with the
situation in which the law can be operative, it actually is
an instance in which the law is operative.
For example, if the explanandum is the inefficiency or dis-
satisfaction of cooks in a restaurant, the explanatory
syllogism will be as follows:
i