Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 1.djvu/464

452 social and the individual consciousness, the laws of the great inventions by which society progresses are studied, and then the author passes to the applications of his principles to language, religion, political economy, art, and the sentiments (le coeur). It is scarcely probable that the catagories announced will maintain themselves as the only or correct ones, but the attempt to discover and develop these systematically can hardly fail to make for real progress.

From the discussions already noted, and from the character of other works noted by Lapie in his summary, it is evident that there is a general tendency to recognize a more intimate relation of sociology to psychology. As in America it has been claimed that it is the "psychic factor" which is most important (Ward) or that sociology is really a part of psychology (Giddings), so French writers are becoming dissatisfied with mechanical and biological conceptions and seeking for more adequate categories. The prevailing opposition to subjective (psychological) sociology, in particular the refusal to attribute any rôle to the reflective will of members of society is declared to be fatal to an appreciation of the really distinguishing mark of society, viz., intelligent action. Lapie admits the prevalence hitherto of biological conceptions but sees in nearly all the literature of the past year the signs of a new era. This is shown (a) in the growing dissatisfaction with the word "organism," (b) in the definition of social facts and (c) in the views as to what constitutes explanation of social facts.

It is objected that the word "organism" is a biological term which has exercised a seductive but unfortunate influence on sociological thought, nor is the objection met entirely by prefixing the adjective "social." Societies are rather êtres spirituels. This dissatisfaction has been commented upon by the editor in a former number of this journal. Some remarks from another point of view suggest themselves. It is undoubtedly unfortunate to use an inappropriate category. Nothing can speak more eloquently on this point than the history of psychology itself. The tabula rasa, the "association" of ideas, the "Statik und