Ideal type
Influenced by Dilthe’s Historicism and Kant’s Rationalism, the important instrument or tool that Weber presented for sociological analysis, named it ‘ideal type’. Weber presented the concept of ideal type in the year 1904 under an essay written under the title ‘Objectivity’. In this essay, Weber, referring to economic theories, wrote that in the analysis of economic phenomena, a more useful and scientific method than to make any conclusions on the basis of conjecture or empirical facts, is that we first construct some ideal types related to economic behavior. Take and then try to understand the nature of economic behavior on the basis of their similarity or dissimilarity with the present economic practices. Later, Debar considered the ideal type as an important tool of study and made extensive use of it in the analysis of social phenomena.
Explaining the nature of ideal type, it can be said that “ideal type is a structure of analysis which provides a parameter to the studyer to measure the similarity and difference from the real conditions”. It is necessary to note that the word ‘ideal’ is not related to any superiority or morality in ideal type. Therefore it is ideal because it is constructed on the basis of some real facts. The reality is that the scope of social behavior is so wide that all human behavior cannot be studied systematically. Sociologists have no such tool There is no such thing by which the authenticity of empirical facts can be understood on a logical basis.
In this situation, it is necessary that by logically choosing some major historical facts or patterns of behavior, such a criterion or model should be constructed so that a conclusion can be reached by comparing the present human behavior. On this basis it can be said that ‘ideal-type’ is a series of logically formed facts on the basis of which empirical facts are compared. For example, as a category, if we accept that organized exchange system, production of goods on a logical basis, organized system of sales, credit system, private property, division of labor and free trade are the main bases of capitalism. Then the form which will be formed from all these characteristics, we will call it the ‘ideal type of capitalism’. By comparison, it may be possible to find out how similar or unequal the present economic behavior is to this ideal type. On the above basis, Weber clarified that ideal type can also be called ‘Pare Type’.
This means that the characteristics by which an ideal type is formed are not the general characteristics but the basic and important features. The ideal-type is also pure in the sense that the elements involved represent the archaic characteristics of that form. It is also assumed that the elements that make up the ideal type are complete in themselves and a conclusion can be reached on the basis of them by comparison with other behaviors. can be easily understood from:
(1) Ideal-type is not a theory in itself but only a method of study. This system does not assume that all social phenomena are logical, although the ideal form itself provides a basis on which an observation or study can be rationalised. In fact, the most important task of social sciences is to gain observational understanding and critical understanding of social behavior. Ideal-type is the medium or tool by which such realization can be achieved.
(2) Ideal-type is a category of some logical and coherent behavior that cannot be found in any society in its pure form. .
(3) According to Weber, ideal type cannot be considered as any such theoretical hypothesis which can be proved or disproved by empirical facts. In contrast, a model is itself a model from which new hypotheses can be formed by comparing empirical facts.
(4) The nature of the ideal group is different from that of the ‘average type’. Ideal-type is qualitative by its nature. It is formed from those special elements which are of very specific and essential nature under a particular situation. The average type, on the other hand, is made up of some common features that are often obtained from statistical calculations during the course of the study. That is why the ideal type is called the ‘Conceptual Construction of Analysis’. .
(5) Creating an ideal is not a goal in itself but a means only.
With the help of which the current behavior is analyzed. It can be called neither historical reality nor empirical reality. It is a category of selection of logical facts only.
6) Model-types related to each situation or area may be different from each other. They have nothing to do with morality or immorality. It means that where the economic system, political system, religious practices
Or there may be some ideal types of family, while ideal types can be created in the field of brothel and crime also. All such model-types are used to compare current practices from a specific theoretical category.
(7) The nature of a model as a component of comparison is very stable, but no ideal is completely immutable. The ideal forms of different periods may differ from each other because their conditions are different from each other.
(8) The elements that make up an ideal-type are not related to every characteristic of that ideal-type, but only to some of the more important and essential characteristics. Weber, along with explaining many characteristics of ideal type, also clarified its three types.
(a) Ideal-types of the first category are those which are constructed from certain historical realities. For example, Protestant ethos, modern capitalism or Western cities are similar ideals that can be constructed by a logical choice of certain historical realities.
(b) The second type of ideal-types are related to those historical realities which contain many qualitative elements and which can be observed from any historical and cultural perspective. For example, feudalism or bureaucracy are such ideal-types.
(c) The third type of ideal-types are those which are constructed on the basis of the rational structure of certain types of behaviour. Weber states that most of the assumptions related to economic theories explain such ideal types. It is clear from these three types of ideal-types that the ideal-types which Weber considered important for sociological analysis are related to the first and second types.
Weber has also given some functions of ideal form as a tool of sociological analysis. These functions are mainly three which are as follows:
(1) The first function of the ideal type is to provide a systematic basis for the classification of events. In this regard it is necessary to note that ideal-type does not mean any concept. For example, status roles, miraculous beings and groups are some of the concepts of cable. Conversely, a model can be said to be a pattern or a complex of many related factors that include many concepts. It is clear that with the help of each model, it becomes easy to classify social phenomena.
(2) The second type of ideal type is to find those factors which explain the nature and extent of the deviation arising in a baseline condition. When we construct an ideal type by taking logically meaningful verbs, it becomes easy to know how some other action was more or less logical than the ideal type. Thus the ideal type provides a firm basis for comparison. For example, if we build an ideal type on the basis of the original ideology and objectives of a sect, then it can be easily understood that how related or unrelated the activities of the organizations belonging to that sect are to their original ideologies and objectives.
(3) The third function of ideal type is related to theoretical analysis. This means that social events can also be predicted on the basis of the ideal type. Weber says that by considering the ideal type as a model, we can predict the change that will happen in a particular situation. For example, capitalism and Protestant ethics are the two main ideals whose By establishing mutual relations, it can be predicted that in which country of the world capitalism is more likely to develop. Thus it becomes clear that the norm-type is a model criterion for the analysis of specific human behaviours. By comparing it with this criterion or model, it can be known what characteristics present human behavior exhibits. This is the basis which can make sociological theoretical discussions more systematic.
Verstehen: Method of Interpretative Understanding
What is the method of sociological analysis? Or the study object of sociology, that is, how to make a scientific understanding of social actions? For this the method which Weber presented was called ‘Verstehen’ in his German language. Due to the absence of a clear English or Hindi synonym for the German word ‘watless’, it is often
It becomes difficult to translate. But in general terms, the wordless means ‘Understanding’ or ‘Insight’. The German philosophical school had already used a term ‘Hermeneutics’, which meant to understand the meaning of the action of a subject by putting oneself in its place and knowing the reality.
Influenced by Dilthey, Weber used the term ‘hermeneutics’ instead of ‘wat without’ for a method by which human behavior could be studied scientifically. In general terms, it can be said that just as an artist has to understand an artwork by placing himself in the position of the painter, or as a mental therapist understands the personality of a person through a deep vision, In the same way, speechless is such a method by which a researcher tries to make an interpretive understanding of his actions by placing himself in the position of the actor.
Clarifying this, Charles Cole ( C. H. Cocley ) wrote , ” Healing is the method of study by which a learner can engage himself in the thoughts and feelings of the person doing the action through contact and communication . brings into his mental state in such a way that a particular behavior can be understood in terms of his thoughts and meanings.
Thus weightless is a special method of interpretive understanding of human behavior or social action. Weber thinks that the main subject of sociological study is the causal explanation of activities and consequences related to social activities. Thus social actions determine all human behaviour. It means that if we want to understand human behavior then it is necessary to understand the real meaning of actions of individuals. The reality is that human behavior also plays an important role in creating various social situations, so the reality of human behavior can be understood only through the understanding of social actions. In this regard, Weber’s view is that some social actions are so simple and clear that there is no special need to understand them.
But there are some actions whose external form is not clear. Without understanding the meaning and purpose of such activities in their intrinsic form, one cannot understand the conditions that arise through social activities. Thus, for sociological analysis, it is necessary that those purposes or meanings contained in various social activities are understood and then they clarify the point of view of the subject. Clarifying his statement, Weber said that for each subject, the action he performs has a special meaning.
This meaning not only clarifies its goals and means, but in the context of this it can also be understood that keeping in mind what values a particular action was taken. Thus, in order to understand human actions, it is necessary to understand the intentions of the subject which are related to the action. This means that in the field of social action, we need to understand not only the comparative position of the interacting persons, but also the actual or potential behavior of each other in relation to which they act. Is . This is what Weber called ‘Subjective Understanding’ of social action. According to Weber, this subjective perception is a characteristic that cannot be found in the natural sciences. In the natural sciences, the laws that we make on the basis of similarities or dissimilarities of some phenomena; They explain the events on the basis of them.
In contrast, sociological knowledge is concerned with the subjective perception of actions or events that is understood in terms of the motives and motives of the interacting persons. This does not mean that natural science is flawed or that sociology is flawed. In this sense it is superior to the natural sciences. It only means that those studies in sociology can also be done by the methodless method, which are completely lacking in the natural sciences. Thus it is clear that by meaningless, Weber means Motivational Understanding.
It is the method by which the subject’s actions are explained in the context of the meaning imposed by him. If the mechanism of this method is explained in a sequence, then through this the meanings inherent in social actions and their effects on social conditions can be easily understood. Every social action is performed by the actor due to the effect or experience of a particular event. When an event affects a person, the person first evaluates its impact. Thereafter, he begins to outline his behavior with reference to his past experiences, present interests and certain values. According to the way in which he evaluates the effect of events, some purpose or meaning of his behavior also starts to develop in the mind of the doer.
In both, it can be said that if he considers the effect of an event favorable for him, then he accepts it, whereas if this effect is unfavourable, he does not want to be affected by it. In this way, keeping in view the prevailing conditions and his means, a particular action is performed by the doer which has a special meaning and purpose for him. This action is not only affected by the earlier conditions but also produces changes in the circumstances itself. According to Weber, keeping all these aspects of the action in mind, when social actions are discussed according to the meaning taken by the subject, then this is called Bustless. This method makes it clear that any social action is not absolute but it is an instrument of some goal. In the context of Weber, this formula of the process of explanatory understanding can be understood as follows: Evaluation of effect, effect on individual, situation, action, determination of means according to interests and values, effect on circumstances. Purpose is clear in such a way that the Worst Hein method two In this way social behavior contributes to the scientific study of harms: first, it helps to understand the subjective meaning of human actions through direct observation, and secondly, through it the motives of any action can be understood.
Explaining this, MacIver wrote that if we want to know why the citizens of a country oppose their government, why workers in a factory go on strike, or that the members of a tribal group share their religious beliefs with We have to put ourselves in those situations in which citizens, workers or tribal people behaved in a particular way. In this regard, it will be necessary to know those social values, motives and purposes which are active in a particular situation.
It is this inner perception that Weber considers necessary for the explanatory understanding of social action. In the analysis of social phenomena, the method of explanatory perception that Weber considered as essential, two elements are prominent: first, evaluation of situations by the subject, and second, the actual intention or purpose of the subject behind the action. (Intention). For how these two elements can be understood in different types of social action, Weber mentioned two main systems which can be understood as follows:
(1) Rational Understanding – When we clearly understand on an intellectual basis the meaning and purpose put by the subject behind the action and all the elements of the action (i.e. its circumstances, means, goals and effects) so that appears to be genuinely authentic, then it is called rational perception. The main relation of such understanding is with logical actions. According to Weber, rational comprehension can also be divided into two parts, namely, comprehension and mathematical comprehension. Logical Understanding is that by which we try to understand by what means a subject performs a particular action under a particular situation and how that action affects the existing circumstances. It means that this system of cognition emphasizes on understanding the nature of social actions and their causes and consequences on the basis of logic. Mathematical Understanding is the method that helps to understand the actions through intelligence that are clear and coherent like math problems. Just as 2×2 = 4 is a clear form, so many actions are such that they not only conform to the expectations of other people, but there is no confusion between their goals and means according to the situation. All such actions can be easily understood on the basis of rationality or logic.
(2) Emotionally Empathic Under Standing – This system of perception of social actions is one by which we try to understand the emotional perspective under which an action is performed by the subject. In fact, the emotional context of the action is so important that without understanding it the real purpose and effect of an action cannot be understood. This emotional context cannot be understood by reason, nor is ordinary observation sufficient for it.
Real understanding of social actions in the condition is possible only when on the basis of feeling we try to understand the actions of the doer by establishing our identity with the feeling (paranubhuti). Through this method, the closer we try to come closer to the feelings of the subject, the better it can be understood that with what impulse, such as love, hatred, jealousy, anger, enthusiasm, loyalty, devotion or curiosity. more affected and what supernatural behavior is arising as a result of them. If the emotions influencing social action are so deep that the learner cannot fully understand them, even then, through an understanding dependent on empathy, one can understand their meaning and their effects on social action to some extent.
. Weber has considered two other methods of realization as important for any social action, whether it is done by reasoning or it can be obtained with reference to the experience of the subject. Weber called it perceptual perception through direct observation. Direct Observational Understanding is that by which a researcher, with the help of direct observation, tries to understand the purpose of the subject’s thoughts and actions on a so-called basis. For example, in case of communal tension or conflict, real understanding of various social activities can be done only through direct observation.
Weber has also called Explanatory Understanding ‘Relational Understanding of Motivation’. It means that critical understanding is the method by which one understands the study on a logical basis by analyzing the reasons related to a social action and understands it in the context of the meaning assigned by the subject.
In other words, it can be said that when we try to know on a logical basis that which conditions or circumstances inspired the subject to do a particular action and what is the real purpose of that action of the subject, then we can understand such a feeling. It’s called ‘critical perception’. For example, when we understand that a person was able to conduct his business activities in a very logical and responsible manner because he believed in Protestant ethics, then such an understanding is called critical understanding. Thus it becomes clear that Worst Hein is that method of study which explains an action on authentic basis in terms of ‘evaluation’ and ‘purpose’ of the subject.
This method does not ask hypothetically to participate in the personality or experiences of the subject, as Weber wrote that “to understand Caesar it is not necessary that we become Caesar ourselves. This means that the use of the weightless does not necessarily require becoming a part of the experience of the doer. Rather, it requires a generalized knowledge that relates to the experiences and purposes of the doer. While highlighting the usefulness of the weightless, Weber described it as Two major functions are also mentioned.
First, explanatory understanding is necessary because social actions are meaningful and no sociological analysis can be meaningful unless their meaning is understood in the context of the evaluation and purpose made by the subject. Secondly, explanatory comprehension is the main source for formulation of hypotheses in sociological studies. In other words, it can be said that the childless is the only method by which sociological theories can be developed after getting proper knowledge of social actions.