To understand the logic of the behavior of matter, one observes the behavior itself. The action of men is meaningful to them. Men define their situation and act in certain ways to achieve their ends. In doing so, they construct a social world. An understanding of man’s subjective intentions requires interpretive understanding by those who share these subjective meanings. To make sense of an act, an observer must place it within a category which he can comprehend, and it may mean something totally different to the actor himself. The danger is of missing the significance of the act to the participants themselves. Rather than focusing on behavior, it is commonly suggested that the intellects should be concerned with action.
Action arises from meanings which defines social reality. People assign meanings to situations and to the actions of others, and react in terms of the interpretation suggested by these meanings. Action is the result of expectations arising out of past experience. Meaning is found within social life and history. The meaning of our social world is given to us by the past history and present structure of our society.
In Alfred Schutz’s words:
“It has a particular meaning and relevance structure for the human beings living, thinking and acting therein. They have pre-selected and pre-interpreted this world by a series of common-sense constructs of the reality of daily life, and it is these thought-objects which determine their behavior, define the goal of their action, and the means available for obtaining them”.
(Alfred Schutz; The Phenomenology of the Social World; 1972).
Action arises from meanings which defines social reality. People assign meanings to situations and to the actions of others, and react in terms of the interpretation suggested by these meanings. Action is the result of expectations arising out of past experience. Meaning is found within social life and history. The meaning of our social world is given to us by the past history and present structure of our society.
In Alfred Schutz’s words:
“It has a particular meaning and relevance structure for the human beings living, thinking and acting therein. They have pre-selected and pre-interpreted this world by a series of common-sense constructs of the reality of daily life, and it is these thought-objects which determine their behavior, define the goal of their action, and the means available for obtaining them”.
(Alfred Schutz; The Phenomenology of the Social World; 1972).
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