Philosophy of Society

Social Philosophy (Theory of Society)

Sociologism of Durkheim

The French sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917) proposed that society should be likened to a living organism. He argued that society emerged out of the necessity to pool efforts for survival. Individuals found it difficult to secure means of survival independently and thus formed groups to ease their endeavors. Durkheim termed this form of social cohesion "mechanical solidarity," as it lacked internal unifying incentives. However, over time, mechanical solidarity evolved into organic solidarity. The hallmark of organic solidarity is that individuals within a society based on it no longer remain separate entities but become parts of a single organism. Just as an organism is not merely an accumulation of cells, society, though composed of people, is not merely a collection but an organism in itself. Since society is an organism, it operates under the same principles as biological organisms, thus requiring the same methods for its study. Durkheim's significant contribution was his description of society as an organism and his demonstration that society must be an independent subject of study. The distinction of society as a separate object of inquiry is termed sociologism. This principle is crucial for the development of sociology and social philosophy, and Durkheim's establishment of it is noteworthy.

If society is an organism, it experiences states analogous to those in a biological organism: it can be healthy or diseased. Similarly, society must recognize norms and anomie (disruptions of norms). A norm is a state where all members organically integrate into the society. Conversely, when society fails to unite its members into a cohesive organism, it undergoes pathology. Such societal diseases have clear symptoms, such as suicides. Individuals resort to suicide when they cannot integrate into the society, feel disoriented, and perceive apathy from others regarding their plight. This represents a serious societal illness requiring effective treatment. Neither the economy nor politics can remedy societal anomies; only religion can effectively address them. Durkheim believed that religion is essential for society because, without it, society cannot cope with its maladies. Religion generates morality, which is the principle of uniting individuals within a society based on organic solidarity.

Durkheim was the first to examine social anomies, especially the issue of suicide, not merely as individual psychological difficulties but as a social phenomenon. High suicide rates do not indicate that individuals struggle with internal issues but rather that society is in crisis. If individuals in society do not feel happy, it signifies that the society itself is ill. It needs religion to heal and become an environment of happiness for its members.