Messages From Georg Simmel

Horst J. Helle studied business administration, sociology and psychology at the University of Hamburg, leading to a Dr.phil. in 1959 and a Habilitation for Sociology in 1967. He held professor positions in Aachen and Wien; and since 1973 he is profesor at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München,

• Introduction1. The Message of InterpretationHumanities versus Natural SciencesThe Operation Called VerstehenThe Controversy about PragmatismSimmel versus conventional PhilosophyThe Influence of Darwin on PhilosophySimmel’s Critique of Subjectivist Pragmatism Tension between Culture and the Individual2. The Message of Change: Society Evolves Over TimeEvolution and Darwin’s “Theory of Descendency” Change as Differentiation and IndividualizationCompetition promotes EvolutionAlternative Theories of Evolution 3. The Message of Interaction: How Reality is ConstructedSociology as the Study of Interaction Society Emerges in InteractionReligion as InteractionStrangeness as Form of InteractionEncounters between Alien Populations The Stranger as Innovator4. The Message of Alienation: Money and PoliticsMoney as a Paradigm of Cultural ProcessesEvaluation and AlienationConstruction of Value in InteractionMoney as a Means of ExchangeSocialism as Result of a Forming ProcessSocialism on HappinessMachine - Factory – Government5. The Main Thrust of the Messages contra Marx and Weber Simmel’s Main Thrust against MarxSimmel’s main Thrust against Weber6. Background of the Messages: Intellectual InfluencesThe Platonic SocratesPlato’s Eternal IdeasSpinozaKantDilthey Summary: Statements about Simmel’s Method Appendix 1: Biography of Georg SimmelAppendix 2: Simmel’s Autobiographical FragmentReferencesIndex