Reason and Unreason in Society: Essays in Sociology and Social Philosophy

Ginsberg, Morris

Published by London School of Economics and Political Science, London, 1947

About this Item

327 Pp. First Edition (Preceding The 1948 American Edition). Minor Shadowing To Endpapers, Otherwise Fine In Fine Dj. Signed By Ginsberg On The First Free Endpaper. Morris Ginsberg Fba (1889 ? 1970) Was A British Sociologist, Who Played A Key Role In The Development Of The Discipline. He Served As Editor Of The Sociological Review In The 1930S And Later Became The Founding Chairman Of The British Sociological Association In 1951 And Its First President (1955?1957). He Was President Of The Aristotelian Society From 1942 To 1943, And Helped Draft The Unesco 1950 Statement Titled The Race Question. In 1921 He Was Reappointed Assistant At The London School Of Economics, And Full Lecturer In 1923. A Year Later He Was Appointed To The Readership In Sociology, Being Supported By Recommendations From Bronis?aw Malinowski And C.G. Seligman As Well As Dawes Hicks From University College London. He Published The Psychology Of Society In 1921 And By 1964 It Had Reached Its Ninth Edition And Had Been Translated Into Many Languages Ranging From Spanish To Japanese. In 1930 He Succeeded Hobhouse To The Martin White Professorship Of Sociology At The London School Of Economics. His Sociology, Written In 1934, Was Described By The Guardian In Their Obituary As "Probably The Best Introduction To The Subject Ever Written". Some Of The Major Themes Of His Work Were Concerned With: 1. The Social Responsibility Of Sociologists, Which He Saw As Part Of The More General Problem Of The Ethics Of Knowledge. He Believed That There Was An Urgent Need To Undertake Fuller Investigation Of The Relations Between Questions Of Fact And Questions Of Value ? Particularly In The Face Of Relativistic Views That Maintain That Social Conflicts Have Their Origin In Fundamental Differences Of Moral Outlook. 2. The Second Main Theme Is The Question Of What He Called "Reason And Unreason" In Human Nature And Society. He Criticised The Traditional View Widely Propagated From Aristotle Through Hume To Bertrand Russell, That The Main Functions Of Reason In Human Affairs Lie In The Clarification, Systematisation And Control Of Impulse And Feeling, And The Discovery Of Means To Their Fulfilment. He Contended That Reason And Feeling Should Not Be Held To Be In Opposition, Or Reason As The Slave Of The Passions, But That Reason Could Play A Significant Role In Motivating Action And Directing Feeling And Conation. 3. He Was Inevitably Also Concerned With The Nature Of Justice And Its Relationship To Equality, And The Associated Question Of Law As An Increasingly Important Agent Of Social Change And Reform. 4. Another Pervading Theme In His Work Was The Advocacy Of The Liberal Disposition Of Mind As A Desideratum. He Opposed This To Fanaticism, Impulsiveness, 'Totalitarianism'. He Was For Sanity, Coolness, Reflection And Restraint In Judgment. Seller Inventory # 020490

Bibliographic Details

Title: Reason and Unreason in Society: Essays in ...

Publisher: London School of Economics and Political Science, London

Publication Date: 1947

Binding: Red Cloth

Condition: Fine Book

Dust Jacket Condition: Fine Dustjacket

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: First Edition, First Printing