The Genesis of Values
by Hans Joas
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Description
One of the most important issues in public and academic debate isthe concept of value and the difficulty in defining it. In this newbook, the leading social theorist Hans Joas explores the nature ofvalues in relation to some of the leading figures oftwentieth-century philosophy and social theory. Seeking tosynthesize utilitarian and normativist approaches, Joas argues thatonly by appreciating the creative nature of human action can weunderstand how values and value commitments arise. Values, show more Joas suggests, arise in experiences of self-formationand self-transcendence. He arrives at this thesis by tracing thetensions in the work of thinkers including Friedrich Nietzsche,William James, Max Scheler and John Dewey. He goes on to explorethe work of Charles Taylor, and concludes with an examination ofpostmodern challenges to the concept of identity and with aprovocative critique of Habermas's treatment of the relationbetween the right and the good. Throughout the book, Joasdifferentiates between values, norms and desires. He clarifiestheir respective role in the dynamics of human action, and exploreshow the ways we acquire values relate to the other ways in which weunderstand the world and ourselves. This important book will be of great interest to students andscholars of sociology, social theory and philosophy. show lessTags
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Die "Entstehung der Werte" beschäftigt den Berliner Soziologen Hans Joas in seinem gleichnamigen Buch. Damit ist keineswegs die Frage nach ökonomischen Werten gestellt, wie es die kritische Sozialwissenschaft gerade an der Freien Universität Berlin vor einer Generation beschäftigt hat, geschweige denn die marxistische nach dem abgeschöpften Mehrwert. Hans Joas gehört einer neuen show more Generation von Sozialwissenschaftlern an. Sie gehören auch im übertragenden Sinn in das neue Berlin und widmen sich mit gutem sozialdemokratischen Hintergedanken der Möglichkeit universalistischer Sozialintegration. Optimistisch suchen sie nach dem normativen Potential der kapitalistischen Moderne und dessen Beitrag zur vernünftigen Regulation der gesellschaftlichen Ordnung. show less
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Author Information
42+ Works 434 Members
Hans Joas is Ernst Troeltsch Professor for the Sociology of Religion at the Humboldt University of Berlin and Professor of Sociology and Social Thought at the University of Chicago.
Classifications
- Genres
- Philosophy, Nonfiction, Sociology, Religion & Spirituality
- DDC/MDS
- 121.8 — Philosophy & psychology Epistemology (how do you know what you know?) Epistemology (Theory of knowledge) Worth and theory of values (Axiology)
- LCC
- BD232 .J6213 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Speculative philosophy Speculative philosophy Epistemology. Theory of knowledge
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 48
- Popularity
- 623,954
- Rating
- (4.50)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 6
