Weber - Science as a Vocation Flashcards
Crisis of meaning: 1918 as lecture in University of Muchich
period of crisis after WWI
massive loss of life, political humiliation
ppl feel betrayed – monarchy – republic
liberation, irrational
not task of professor to tell students how to live
objective on academics
Scholar: objective situation/Objective conditions of academic activity
unimpressive, disappointing way on what it’s like to be a professor
need to strive for popularity
Needs to specialize
Values placed on being original – requires mastery
Scientific work lacks supremancy
artist can hope work can endure
resign themselves to idea that work will be quickly outdated
Scholar: subjective situation
what does it take to be a professor
artists hope + dream work will last forever
you have to accept that in 50 years work will be outdated
resignation
Disenchantment of the world
science highly responsible for modern mentality that trusts science
we believe in principle we could find scientific explanation for whole hosts of phenomenon
eliminates magical quality of the world
Past justifications for science
- why engage in it if bound to be outdated?
- Plato: science way to true being
- Rationale for science is seen not persuasive – quite lifeless in fact
- Find way to true being outside of science – art, mysticism, religion
- Leonardo Da Vinci: Science is way to true art
- Intricately connected – scientific work on how to create art
Past justifications for science
•Many ppl contrast intellectualism with art
oArt doesn’t intellectualize
•Science is way to true God:
oToday science tends to erode belief in God
•Science is way to true happiness:
oVery few ppl find happiness in science
oWho believes this except ppl in university chairs + editorials
oNaïve
Presuppositions of science:
•rules of logic + method valid
we presuppose logic is good quality of academic work – we take it for granted
methods: ways we collect + use evidence
anecdotal – pejorative
rules out certain claims because not substantiated with evidence
Presuppositions of science:
some things worth knowing
what is worth knowing not self evident
question of interpretation
Weber says fact is often forgotten by professors
Rather than imposing his/her views – task is to get students to consider inconvenient facts
Presuppositions of science:
Plato: task of philosopher is gadfly
Not letting students get away with unexamined assumptions
Veuglers: consensus that Marx, Weber, Simmel examine things worth knowing
What does science offer?: Practical Applications
Practical applications
Academic work in social sciences can deal with unemployment, youth delinquency, technology of controlling life
What does science offer?: Training in Thinking + Clarity
Training in thinking: Methods of thinking
Tools + training of thought
Transposable tools for thinking
Clarity: Given goal that we would like to achieve (reducing inequality) + what means are available + what are the by-products (subsidary consequences)
What does science offer?: Responsibility
Having thought things through ask: do the ends justify the means? Do the gains outweigh the negative consequences?
•Always consider the subsidiary consequences
•Is it worth it?
•There is no easy choices
•Science offers you responsibility – you can’t say you didn’t know
What does science offer?: Responsibility
Shot at socialists of his day – criticism that too blind to consequences of socialism
Ethic of responsibility
if what science has to offer doesn’t appeal to you – then there are other ways of life
What science cannot offer
answers to ultimate questions, those that lie in realm of moral values
