Ideology and the Development

of Sociological Theory

BY IRVING ZEITLIN
 Irving Zeitlin

Irving M. Zeitlin is Professor Emeritus at the

University of Toronto and a leading authority on the
sociology of religion. His many books include The
Historical Muhammad, Jesus and the Judaism of His
Time and Ancient Judaism.
 Theme 1: Society is like a universe that has
natural laws and only through the unity of
reason and observation one can understand
them.
Montesquieu people err due to their inability to
understand and follow natural laws in relation to
how society should work.
Rousseau human beings err due to inability to
follow their nature.
Perfectibility is reaching ones potentials
Social contract
 Theme 2: Rational/Revolutionary minds
destroy God-given and embedded social laws
which resulted to societys instability.
Hegel reason is not abstract, it is an immanent
force which determines the structure and
development of the universe.
History is based on the unfolding of reason
(contradiction synthesis thesis)
State is the highest order.
 Theme 2: Rational/Revolutionary minds
destroy God-given and embedded social laws
which resulted to societys instability.
Bonald and Maistre individual reason is
inferior than that revealed truth.
Providence works with historical and social laws
not through individual reasons.
Societys instability is due to human individualism.
Language is God-given.
Society antedates the individual.
 Theme 2: Rational/Revolutionary minds
destroy God-given and embedded social laws
which resulted to societys instability.
Saint-Simon old order cant be brought back but
moving forward and starting with the current is
possible.
Science will replace religion as a binding force.
Scientific-industrial its purpose is not to direct but
to declare what conforms to nature.
 Theme 2: Rational/Revolutionary minds
destroy God-given and embedded social laws
which resulted to societys instability.
Comte positive stage uniting the principles of
order and progress.
 Application

Social order should be based on the laws of society.

Society should be governed with the wisdom of
human nature.
 Conclusions

Society is a product of a combination of social laws

and human nature.
Conflict in society results from misinterpretation and
violation of the inherent human laws.
A binding force in society also determines social
order.