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Alfred Schultz

Austrian social scientist, his importance lay in his attempt to provide a phenomenological basis for sociology i.e. sociology without philosophical presuppositions. His contributions to sociological thought focused on the structure and functioning of the consciousness and the structure and functioning of the social world as a set of mental constructs. The question he addressed himself to was what is the social reality with which sociologists concern themselves.

He argued that sociologists should examine common sense beliefs and actions. Like Weber he was an exponent of interpretative sociology and a critic of positivism. He tried to apply his ideas to the realms of literary criticism, musical appreciation, politics and sociology of Knowledge.

Important Book:

The Phenomenology of social world

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