An Argumentativist Point of View in Cognitive Sociology

Methodological Individualism and Rational Choice Theory (broadly understood) can integrate various research programmes in cognitive sociology (itself broadly understood). This article sets out two different but closely related conceptions, depending on the focus of the analysis (macro-sociological o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEuropean journal of social theory Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 465 - 480
Main Author Bouvier, Alban
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2007
Subjects
Cognition
Debate
Group Identity
Individualism
Methodological Individualism
Methodology
Rational Choice
Social theory
Sociology
collective beliefs
argumentation
rational choice theory
cognitive processes
methodological individualism
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Summary:Methodological Individualism and Rational Choice Theory (broadly understood) can integrate various research programmes in cognitive sociology (itself broadly understood). This article sets out two different but closely related conceptions, depending on the focus of the analysis (macro-sociological or micro-sociological) and the goals, although both deal — to some extent — with the bridge between these levels. Raymond Boudon's programme is relevant when the focus is the macro-sociological level but can be considered as weakly `cognitive'. Alban Bouvier presents a slightly stronger cognitive programme — the argumentativist programme — that makes sense when the focus is on the micro-sociological level. This new programme leads to integrating cognitive psychology and recent argumentation theory more and, as well, the philosophy of mind and social philosophy. Examples here are borrowed from historical sociology.
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ISSN:1368-4310
1461-7137
DOI:10.1177/1368431007080707