齐美尔社会学理论中的突现论意涵

Georg Simmel’s Sociological Theory as an Emergentist Theory of Society

本文旨在厘清齐美尔的“形式”与“相互作用”这两个概念的内涵与关联。本文将指出,一,“形式”与“相互作用”分别是齐美尔的社会学思想当中的本体论概念与认识论概念,两者相辅相成,不能单独分开提及。二,如果将齐美尔的社会学思想放在今天的社会学语境当中,那么可以发现齐美尔的社会学思想有非常明显的突现论色彩。然而齐美尔的突现论又与今天主流的社会突现论相当不同,具有重要的独特性,可以修正或改善今天突现论当中一些充满争议的问题。

“Form”and“interaction”(Wechselwirkung)are two core concepts of Georg Simmel’s sociological theory.Although Simmel has not clearly identified the relation between these two notions,a linkage between form and interaction obviously exists in his theory.This linkage can,from today’s viewpoint,be understood as emergence.In other words,emergentism is a significant element in Simmel’s sociological thought.Still,Simmel’s emergentist theory has distinct characteristics that may revise the mainstream emergentism.