Emile Durkheim is a rather significant and integral figure in the field of sociology, which is attributed to the strides and contributions he made to the field. Durkheim conducted several studies within the field of sociology, in a bid to establish certain facts, thus his studies being driven by specific objectives. Various factors contribute to the sort of studies conducted by Durkheim such as his early life, as well as experiences. In his major study, Durkheim wanted to demonstrate the fact that social factors contributed to certain behaviors and practices such as suicide as opposed to the same being attributed to internal factors such as personality. In trying to understand the society, Emile looked into how society had undergone an evolution that would see the growth of interdependence among individuals in a society (Durkheim, 2013). Therefore, he set out to demonstrate how social factors vary from one society to another, thus influencing how individuals within every particular society behave, thus proving his theories. The deductions in Durkheim’s theories have contributed greatly to the discipline of sociology, thus a reference point for understanding human behavior within the society as well as understanding our behavior.
The life of Emile Durkheim
Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist born on April 15, 1858, in Epinal, France. His parents were Moise, who was the Chief Rabbi of Epinal, Vosges, and Haute-Marne, and his mother, Melanie who worked as an embroiderer. Emile began his education in a rabbinical school as he was expected to become a rabbi just like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before him. However, he changed schools and joined École Normale Supérieure in 1879, where he schooled with sociologist Jean Jaurès, philosopher Henri Bergson, historian Henri Berr and the psychologist Pierre Janet (Lukes, 1985). At the Normale, he met Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges who guided him in writing his Latin dissertation on Montesquieu and read Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer.
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In 1882, Durkheim launched his career in teaching philosophy where he taught at the state secondary schools, of Sens, Saint-Quentin, and Troyes up to 1887. He took a year’s leave of absence and pursued research in Germany. He was appointed a lecturer in 1887 at the University of Bordeaux where he taught social philosophy until 1902. As a lecturer Durkheim aided in the reformation of the school system in France and introduced social science in the educational curriculum system. In the same year, he married Louise Dreyfus and later had two children.
In 1893, Durkheim published his first major work, The Division of Labor in Society where he introduced the influence social norms have on a person within a society. His second major work, The Rules of Sociological Method was published in 1895, which defines what sociology is (Lukes, 1985). Durkheim published his third major work, Suicide: A Study in Sociology that explored religion difference between Catholics and Protestants that socially contributed to suicidal rates. Durkheim’s last major work, The Elementary Forms of The Religious Life, was published in 1912, a book that analyzes religion as a social phenomenon. Durkheim collapsed and died from a stroke on November 15, 1917; he died at the age of 59.
Emile Durkheim’s Vision and Line of Thought
Emile was a dedicated sociologist who wanted to increase the field of sociology regarding information and understanding, and this was by transforming the field into a scientific one. More specifically his work is seen concerning the subject matter of scientific morality where he argues that empirical evidence should determine morality. His ideas present a transition from the current approach to society, where religious and political institutions set the standards of morality towards a more scientific approach to this task. By increasing the scientific approach to sociology, Durkheim simply identifies that there are critical aspects that need to be examined about society from a sociological standpoint. For instance, that through the use of a scientific approach, it will be possible to determine some of the crucial aspects that can lead to greater well-being for the society at large. He presented these among other ideas in numerous publications and calls for extensive analysis to identify his critical ideas and vision.
Empiricism as the main Approach to Understanding Sociological Phenomenon
Numerous individuals have gone to criticize or extensively analyze the key ideas that Durkheim presented. Several critical ideas come up. However, one of the major ones to be highlighted was Durkheim’s call for increased empiricism or scientific approach in the field of sociology. For instance, Philip Gorski provides an extensive critique of the individual and traces some of the origins of his idea to individuals such as Aristotle. The source, however, highlights that this possible “Aristotlean” connection has gone unnoticed by most individuals that have looked into his work. The source provides some of the major ideas that need to be understood concerning Durkheim, and a major one is that of empiricism as a critical approach to sociology and morality. This approach is linked to some of the ideas that Aristotle provides when it comes to his philosophical contribution. The following statement from Gorski (2017), explains on the discussed link between Durkheim and Aristotle, “Aristotelianism opens the door to the social science of morality informed by empirical observation.” Gorski (2017) also adds the aspect of Kantianism as present to elaborate on the role of empiricism in science. By providing that Kant too support the scientific approach to understanding as well as shaping sociology, it becomes possible to understand empiricism as provided for by Durkheim. Therefore, this should be understood as one of the critical underpinnings of his line of thought and later shaped some of the critical frameworks that govern modern sociology.
Different Approach to Setting Morality
The next critical aspect that can be examined in the case of Durkheim is that of understanding how he prescribed morality and most importantly, what should influence this factor. What is crucial to understand is that Durkheim provides for a scientific morality where through empiricism society can determine some of the crucial items that can shape the well-being of it. This is an important subject matter to look at given that morality has been an important sociological discussion. It is crucial to identify that Durkheim viewed the current approach of using both political as well as a religious influence to set morality as largely ineffective.
Therefore, if society were to prosper as is the wish of the vast majority properly, it would need to adopt something identified as scientific morality. Gorski (2017), explains that scientific morality is prescribed as being largely neutral. Through collecting of critical empirical evidence, society can go ahead and determine some of the crucial factors that shape its well-being such as civic friendship. Hence, one needs to understand how at the core of the idea of understanding and shaping moral ideals and values in a society based on what is empirically observed to provide wellness to everyone. It is crucial to understand this, mainly because it is one of the critical visions that Durkheim had. It also informs the next subject matter to be discussed concerning his view on society.
For the Good of the Majority (Kantianism)
The next item to be looked at regarding examining Durkheim’s ideas and vision involves that of view possible support for Kantianism. This school of thought simple points out to morality and for the context determining what is good and evil based on its impact on the majority. It is an important aspect to discuss given that till date, there are numerous discussions as to what is the key determinant of the morality of an action. By looking at the outcome on the majority, there are both needs for empiricism, leading to scientific morality as well as, understanding what constitutes wellbeing/happiness for society. Such factors point to some of the convergence points regarding both Kant and Durkheim. Gorski (2017), who elaborates more on this provides that Durkheim sought after a different approach to how society should be structured as well as operate. For instance, through empiricism, it becomes important to understand first what makes up the well-being or happiness of the majority and secondly, how this can be effected/implemented. What is crucial to understand that Durkheim advocated for morality that improved the overall well-being of society in general, and this was consistent with the key ideologies of Kant. Thus, the section provides key information regarding understanding another line of thought concerning Durkheim.
Erosion of Religious and Ethnic Influence on society
Another aspect that Durkheim sought to look into and cover regarding his vision for the future of society was that of erosion of religious and ethnic influence on society. This particularly concerned with the issue of moral standards or ethics that society is to be governed. Emile Durkheim understood that some of the major reason why society was not progressing, as it should, was largely because some key religious as well as ethnic factors shaping morality prevented from doing so. It is these aspects that support his ideas on scientific morality, whereby what was identified through empiricism, as what is good for society, should be the key principles governing moral as well as ethical standards and norms (Durkheim, 2013). This vision is important to understand especially because in such society is likely to take up a more progressive stance as opposed to the current approach. Ethnic and religious from Durkheim’s perspective have a limiting effect regarding general directionality of society largely because they have a divisive impact on the people. However, empiricism, which results in scientific morality should possibly go ahead and reveal the major underlying similarities that human beings share, which transcend religion and ethnicity. Therefore, one can also point out that Durkheim had a key objective or vision of social unification. This could have key implications given that major social unification has not been achieved with diverse religious and ethnical backgrounds driving this phenomenon. Thus, in summary regarding his vision for society, Durkheim was seen to advocate more for social integration with the elimination of barriers such as the ones mentioned in this section.
Understanding Behavior, the Need for a Social Context
Another important contribution that should be discussed concerning Durkheim was that of his approach to understanding human behavior. This was important especially regarding aiding Sociology to be viewed as a science. Durkheim advocated for analysis of behavior to transcend the individual context and into the larger social context (Durkheim, 2013). What was being advocated for is simply behavioral analysis because of influence resulting from the social context that the individual is in. This approach is much more accurate regarding helping sociologists and scientist, in general, understand human behavior. Secondly, by looking at the item because of social influence, the individuals investigating behavior will also have an understanding of group behavior for the select society. Hence, one can see how Durkheim went ahead to shape sociology and the study of human behavior by advocating as well as demonstrating the effectiveness of using society as the main source of analysis when understanding this factor.
Brief Summary of Durkheim’s Vision and Line of Thought
The above section helps one piece Durkheim’s overall vision and line of thought. What seems to rise from all the factors examined is that he advocated for social improvement through the use of science. This is identified by looking at how Durkheim for Sociology to be viewed and approached as a science. In doing this, he identified some of the major drawbacks that society was facing especially the divisive aspects of religion and ethnicity. However, for this, he recommended the new approach of scientific morality, which was a neutral approach that only sought to unify society by focusing on the well-being of everyone/the majority (Durkheim, 2013). Therefore, these aspects show a connection of his ideas and vision in the case of society. It is this framework that influenced his writing on education, law and other important fields present. These ideas would also be seen in fields such as Economics where he covered through his publication “ The Division of Labor in Society ,” In general, one could see that Durkheim had revolutionary ideas way beyond his time.
Conclusion
Emile Durkheim did indeed contribute to the discipline of sociology, and his theories and thoughts apply to daily lives today. His idea of a unified society, however, is a matter that is up for debate because the diversity of people influences their ability to work together as a unit. Emile does, however, provide a guide towards how people can achieve unity within the society by pointing out some of the factors that prevent the same from happening such as religion. His works have contributed greatly to how people understand the various dynamics of the society and how that influences people’s behavior. Emile also goes ahead to prove certain factors that contribute to his major attempt at making the world see sociology as a science as opposed to it being humanity, thus his contribution to the discipline.
References
Durkheim, E. (2013). Durkheim: The rules of sociological method: And selected texts on sociology and its method . Palgrave Macmillan.
Gorski, P. S. (2017). Recovered Goods: Durkheimian Sociology as Virtue Ethics. In Varieties of Virtue Ethics (pp. 181-198). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Lukes, S. (1985). Emile Durkheim, his life and work: a historical and critical study. Stanford University Press.
