Meditations on Collective Force: A Philosophical Engagement with Emile Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life Público

Abstract

This thesis offers a philosophical engagement with Emile Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious

Life, examining his account of religion as a social product and his proposal of a revolutionary collective

epistemology. Part I frames Durkheim’s definition of religion as a relational system centered on an

essential sacred object, then raises concerns about his reliance on empirical data to identify that object,

drawing on notable methodological critiques of several Durkheimian scholars. Additionally, it suggests

that a justification rooted in philosophical reasoning rather than a generalization from ethnographic data

could preserve his definitional aims, and protect his theory from such critiques. Part II explores

Durkheim’s collective epistemology as a response to Cartesian skepticism, arguing that his attempt to

replace individual reason with socially derived, collective categories ultimately fails. Part III uses the

philosophical framework articulated in Part II to provide the alternative justification for Durkheim’s

religious theory discussed in Part I, reconstructing totemism through the logical derivation of the other as

a necessary subject of faith.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………...……………………………………………………….1-2

Part I - Durkheim on Religion

Durkheim’s Goal……………………………………………………………………….....…..….2-5

Durkheim’s Definition of Religion…………………………………………………….….……5-10

God’s Manifestation I - Authority and Impact on Individuals……………………..…………11-12

God’s Manifestation II - A strengthening and inspiring force……………………………..….12-13

God’s Manifestation III - Instilling Morality……………………………………………….…….13

God’s Manifestation IV - Sparking an Energizing and Transcendent Feeling………….…….13-14

Affirming the Realness of God…………………………………………………..……………15-16

Notable Critiques of Durkheim’s Religious Theory…………………………………………..16-18

Response to Critiques…………………………………………………………………………18-20

Additional Questions………………………………………………………………….………20-22

Part II - Durkheim on Philosophy

Durkheim’s Collective Epistemology…………………………………………………………22-24

The Relationship Between Collective Concepts and Objective Truth………………...………25-26

The Categories of Understanding……………………………………………………….…….26-27

Context from Rawls………………………………………………………………………..….27-30

Analytical Plan and Introduction of Descartes…………………………………………………...30

Summary of Descartes………………………………………………………………………...30-33

Descartes – Latter Sections……………………………………………………………………33-34

Incorporating Descartes.………………………………………………………………………34-35

Form of Critique………………………………………………………………………………35-36

The Problem of Other Minds………………………………………………………………….37-38

Summary of Berkeley…………………………………………………………………………39-41

Original Critique………………………………………………………………………………41-49

Part III - A Proposed Solution

Context for Solution…………………………..………………………………………………49-51

The Challenge Ahead………………….…………………………………………..………….51-52

Logical Starting Point ……………………………………………………………...…………52-53

Argument…………………………………………………………………………………...…53-55

Note on Berkeley…………………………………………………………………………...…….55

Argument Continued…………………………………………………………………………..56-59

Conclusion of Argument……………………………………………………………………....59-64

Demonstrating that Belief in the Other and the Totemic Principle are Functionally

Synonymous…..……………...……………………………………………………………….64-66

How the Similarity Emerged………………………………………………………………….66-69

Discussion of Durkheim’s Sociological Findings………………………………………….….69-71

Works Cited…………………...…………………………………………………………….……72

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Sociology
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Palavra-chave	The Problem of Other Minds Totemism Durkheim Sacred Epistemology Objective Reality Skepticism Collective Consciousness
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Frank Lechner, Emory University
Committee Members	Karen Hegtvedt, Emory University Mark Risjord, Emory University

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